The Coronas (The O2, Dublin)

Having filled six nights in The Olympia last December, a show in The O2 was the next logical step for The Coronas – and with it came a whole host of questions. Would they be able to develop a show, which would stand up to the less forgiving scrutiny of an arena? Would the almost inevitable loss of intimacy, upon which their performances so heavily rely, be too much for the boys from Terenure to handle? Would they have enough finely honed set-pieces to compete effectively with the Pop Divas that usually entertain crowds at the North Wall?

Almost immediately some of those questions were answered. Danny and the boys opened the show from behind a curtain: lights shone from the rear silhouetted the band, making their shadows look 50 foot tall. It was big and it was impressive: just what the occasion demanded.

Energised by that impressive opening salvo, the crowd reaction throughout was truly extraordinary. Song after song, rapturous applause and teenage screams intermingled, lasting up to – and sometimes beyond – a minute. Just when you thought things couldn't get any better they did. Amid the epic chants of 'Dreaming Again', about a hundred giant balloons of red, orange, blue, green, yellow, white and pink were dropped from the ceiling – a truly breathtaking sight.

As the night progressed, the crowd got more and more involved: coaxed along by Danny, they sang every word of 'Listen Dear'. Danny's rapport with the crowd was, as always, wonderful. But in this regard, maybe a little more should be expected of the rest of the band: the odd word here and there would make all the difference to the feeling that this is a band endeavour.

For his part, the frontman began to get a little emotional when he spoke of selling-out Whelan's five years ago. It would be churlish to fault him. There is a real sense that the band have been building towards this night for a long, long time.

For 'Different Endings', Danny took to the piano to do his best Paulo Nutini impression (and pretty damn good it is too), before we were treated to what was certainly a contender for moment of the night, the boys rolling out an impressive version of 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' before segueing into 'San Diego Song'. This inspired one-two triggered some strange scenes, not least the sight of two short men in their 50s, glasses, suits, the works, with just one beer between them, up on their feet, arm in arm, and bellowing: "We sleep all day, we drink all night/ We are not wasting time…". Let's just say that they, like so many others in the O2, were having a night to remember.

The set built to a crescendo: the first encore, 'Warm', sounded like a song which should have been massive globally. On 'Closer to You' confetti rained down from above, while 'Heroes and Ghosts' provided an emotional climax before they invited Ryan Sheridan and Roisin O onstage for one last hurrah with Mic Cristopher's 'Heyday'.

It's hard to envisage what's next for The Coronas. They are one of a select few Irish bands capable not just of selling out The O2 but of putting in a performance big enough, and brave enough, to match the intimidating venue. Venues of this size all over the world beckon. Will 2013 be the year they make the great leap forward internationally? Watch this space...