The stage at Vicar Street was bathed in blues, a cartoon moon dances on the backstage banner. A silhouette of a woman stares at the moon, gazing across the banner ordained within the band’s title: The Murder Capital.

The Murder Capital have been on tour across Europe for their second album, Gigi's Recovery, which made No. 1 on the Irish Album Charts back in January.

The night opened with the spoken word poetry of Unorthodox Coolock, also known as Craig Doyle, before a quick hello from Junior Brother, who had been with the titular band throughout their European tour began his opening set.

Junior Brother at Vicar Street, Dublin 26.2..2023 Copyright Colm Kelly

The Irish act reminisced about how, three years ago, he, Unorthodox Coolock, and the Murder Capital played the same Vicar Street stage they were all back on once again.

"It's a bit like a class reunion tonight."

He dedicated his final song of the night, fresh off his new album The Great Irish Famine, to the Murder Capital in thanks for having him across the European stretch of their tour.

When the Murder Capital finally made their way onto the stage, they announced their own arrival by hitting it off with 'Existence.' The band's last European venue of the Gigi's Recovery tour, they played to the audience cast in the dark before the lights opened on them mid-song.

After 'Crying,' 'Return My Head' was heralded with an the Murder Capital lead singer James McGovern hyping the audience with the cry "Let's fucking go!"

Quickly after, the quintet led into the banging 'More is Less,' with little fanfare save McGovern encouraging the audience to get loud. "Don't be shy because it's Sunday - no bullshit!"

The Murder Capital at Vicar Street, Dublin 26.2..2023 Copyright Colm Kelly

Of course, that applied to James too. In the middle of 'More is Less,' he stepped out onto the metal boundary separating the audience from the stage. Held back by security and dragged forward by clasping hands with fans below, he belted out the words to the song all the while threatening to fall into the audience.

"Alright, Dublin! Just a little teaser of everything for you there."

James pulled out a tambourine for 'The Stars Will Leave Their Stage' and started 'For Everything' clapping with an undaunted expression. A mosh pit revved the energy of the crowd into overdrive. By the end, the crowd carried the final chorus of the song in McGovern's place.

Next up was the song 'Belonging,' followed by 'Love, Love, Love,' and 'A Thousand Lives.' McGovern didn't have to say a word during the last one, merely reached out a hand to hype the crowd louder and louder.

During "'Green & Blue,' the stage was accurately covered in teal lights. 'The Lie Becomes the Self' saw the Murder Capital's electrifying stage presence full force as McGovern winked at a member of the audience in the pit.

The Murder Capital at Vicar Street, Dublin 26.2..2023 Copyright Colm Kelly

During the mournful 'Gigi's Recovery,' McGovern paced the stage in between the instrumentals. The band had to wait a minute for the cheering to die down before starting 'We Had to Disappear.'

"You're fucking crazy!" James enthusiastically told the audience. In the brief respite, he and the rest of the Murder Capital surprised Junior Brother with their own thanks.

"Alright I've got a very important question right now: I need to know the whereabouts of Mr. Junior Brother." Looking out across the audience, he continued teasingly while tapping the mic. "Where is Junior Brother? Put your hands up please."

"Has anyone seen him? I'm going to need him up on this stage very soon, very soon, very soon."

In the midst of the search, the singer's command to the audience to "open up" parted the pit's crowd like it was the Red Sea. Elaborating on his plan, James addressed the crowd.

"Now Dublin, we've only got one Sunday night to go fucking mental, so now's your chance to let it all out. Now's your chance to show us who you are. Now's your chance to show us what you're all about."

The Murder Capital at Vicar Street, Dublin 26.2..2023 Copyright Colm Kelly

With perfect timing right after the hype-up, Junior Brother made his appearance.

"Alright, you're going to go fucking nuts," James told the crowd, "and then at some point he's going to jump on you."

The singer stretched his arms out like he was about to go into a hug, face split into a grin. "And you're going to carry him."

Then, without further prompting, he started 'Feeling Fades.'

Junior Butler did, in fact, jump into the crowd, after the Murder Capital frontman pulled him from the stage halfway through the song and pushed him forward encouragingly. Indie folk artist leapt forward and was caught beautifully by the fans below.

When he was safely returned to the ground, James waved the audience forward for his own foray above the pit. With a running start, he wrapped the mic's wire around his hand, jumped, and kept the show going.

The Murder Capital at Vicar Street, Dublin 26.2..2023 Copyright Colm Kelly

"Dublin!! Ain't nobody do it like that!"

'Only Good Things' - "I want to see you bounce! I want to see you bouncing!" - too soon became the head banging 'Don't Cling to Life.'

"Listen! Or we're going to leave you now," James threatened to a resounding round of boos. "We have one more tune, as they say. We fucking love you. And in all sincerity from the bottom of our hearts, I always wanted it to be like this for us."

The final song of the night, 'Ethel' saw the band soaking in the crowd's cheers. Not one to leave the audience wanting, James McGovern jumped on the metal border, held people's hands, and crowd surfed one final time.

When the song came to a close, the all five of the post-punk band's members - James McGovern, Damien Tuit, Cathal Roper, Gabriel Paschal Blake, and Diarmuid Brennan - came in for a group hug.

It was a bittersweet moment for the band and fans alike before the Murder Capital goes abroad to the North American stretch of their tour next month.