Bouzouki and flute make for cosy bedfellows. Niall ╙ Callanβin knows this in his bones, so his tunes, each one more spirit-shockingly original than the last, reflect this. Paired with Kevin Shields on flute and low whistle, ╙ Callanβin buried his bouzoukis, acoustic and electric, in the heart of the tunes, letting the opportunistic flute and whistles seize the moment wherever possible.

The set list might have whispered of hornpipes, jigs, reels and polkas, but the band were seldom pilgrims on a purely traditional path. Jazz colours dominated, led in no small measure by Fiona Kelliher, the Dido-esque guest vocalist. Add John Kerins on double bass and Jimmy Faulkner on sublime acoustic guitar and you'd be satisfied with the ensemble's jazz credentials. Introduce Mario N'Goma, with his rhythm sequences borrowed from African, American and, no doubt, Angolan music and you begin to get the full picture.

╙ Callanβin is an uncomfortable ringleader, and his discomfort at times translated into a leaden pacing, with sets of tunes languishing between band changes. Given even a whiff of continuity, the musicians blossomed. Spirit Of Oriel, a slow air, struck a chord, but still the night failed to ignite for longer than momentary spells. Intricate, cerebral, pensive music for sure. But too many line-up swaps led to a jagged continuity that eventually jarred.