Adrift in the limbo between Christmas and New Year’s, Hot Press wasn’t sure exactly what day it was, I was also scared to check my bank balance and doubted if I could ever fit into a pair of trousers again. I did welcome the excuse to leave my cave though, so gratefully accepted an invitation to the Sugar Club, by way of a few pints of Guinness that would make you cry in the time tunnel that is Hartigan’s on Leeson Street.

The timing of this show, billed as The Sugar Club Crimbo Bash, so close to New Year’s Eve, made for a less than capacity crowd, but those who have made the effort are enthusiastic. First up, Joey Gavin, and his space rock, indie cowboys. Ken Mooney’s inventive drums and Shane Holly’s tricky guitar are the best things here, although there are snatches of good songs buried under all those Wilco/Maximo Park/Father John Misty/Neil Young shapes, ‘Run’ in particular. Calling a song ‘Rolf Harris Is A Paedophile’ might be a case of being a mad bastard just for the sake of it, and a bit of actual stagecraft would go a long way, but they weren’t bad at all. Hot Press’ photographer, visiting from our German office, was nodding along appreciatively.

The reason most of us are here, probably, is the headline act, who are on in the middle, Square Pegs, Dublin’s own R&B super group. They’re a revolving conglomerate, built around drummer Graham Hopkins (The Frames, Glen Hansard, etc) and Colm Quearney (Pugwash, Jerry Fish, Bronagh Gallagher, etc.) on guitar and vocals. These two gents would make any band better just by being nearby, but tonight we also get Conor Brady (The Blades, everyone from Terence Trent D’arby to Toots & The Maytals) on guitar and James Delaney (Los Paradiso, Van Morrison, Chuck Berry, The Waterboys) on keyboards, as well as master jazz hero Dave Redmond on bass.