DRESSED entirely in grey, the Divine Comedy provided a very colourful show to an appreciative, 4,000 strong audience on the opening night of the Heineken Green Energy Music Festival at Dublin's latest all-round showhouse - the Courtyard at Dublin Castle.
Mainman Neil Hannon certainly proved that he packs some pull with this show, joined as he was at one point by the real Ardal O'Hanlon, otherwise known as Father Dougal, who of course set everybody to laughing by merely touching down on the stage.
The Comedy's rapturous music crossed over from a tilted carnival merry-go-round sound to ballads, and just as easily to drums and bass driven numbers such as Something for the Weekend, which drove the hip-singing folks into a frenzy at the end of the first set. Another big favourite was The Frog Princess, the witticisms of which were on the lips of many at the end of the show.
All dressed in black, support act Babybird's gig had a tomb-like effect until their inevitable, radio-loving You're Gorgeous. A certain sameness of sound across the set prevented Babybird's ascent, while the singer's insistence on re-checking the Courtyard clock left the feeling that he had a date to keep. A little lame, really.