Best gig of the year IMHO. He nailed so many of the tunes it was amazing, particularly John Wayne Gacey. His albums are so layered I didn't think it would translate well live but I was well wrong. Top notch.

I second that emotion!! Brilliant night, hopefully I'll get my ass in gear and do a proper review of it, but anyone that can make it work in the worst venue in Dublin has to have something special. God how I hate the Village. It was completely sold out so there was a real buzz about the place, definitely the gig of the year.

magnificent... one of the most enjoyable gigs i've ever been to

AHhhhh! this is torture! I couldn't get a ticket.

It was good but he was better in the Douglas Hyde last year I thought, mainly due to the fact taht I felt he played a stronger selection of songs then. I seem to be one of the few people that would only rank Illinois as the third best of his 5 albums.

it was wonderful - his voice has such a lovely texture to it and the only blot on an otherwise perfect set was the stricken banjo, i would have liked to have heard more of it!

unicron, i find that surprising... you can't be including his first 2 albums which must mean you prefer michigan to illinois?... seven swans is a different beast... anyway, i hope he comes back with his next album (his initial plan was to release an extended 'state' ep by the end of this year - that's probably changed) hey jan, welcome missus

I absolutely do prefer it, "Flint ... for the unemployed and underpaid", "The Upper Peninsula" and "Romulous" are incredible and top anything on Illinois. Maybe it's down to the fact that my first introduction to his work was Michigan though, first time is always special and all that*. * This is obviously untrue.

so often, first exposure is the best... i'd be the same with loads of bands... not in this case though... i do love michigan but when illinois came out, i just thought it was less rambling and sat together as an album better... think i prefer seven swans also

seven swans is personally, the most bestest. illinoise and michigan, while very good, can't touch it for me.