Life, Niamh Farrell tells us, is all about this. Your family. Your friends. Having fun. It’s probably a similar outlook to the one she would have taken when HamsandwicH were first treading the Whelan’s stage some twenty years ago. The past hasn’t always been the most welcoming of places for the band yet they’re now embracing it with a residency celebrating their first three albums (2022’s Magnify, a record that feels like a musical outlier, doesn’t get a look in).

Spanning seven years, it was a period that saw them transform from quirky Kells outsiders to an independent band who were able to score a number one album. It’s night one, however, that offers the most intrigue as debut album Carry The Meek has become something of a forgotten curio. Largely written by ex-bass player John Moore, the band outgrew its musical template quickly (it would be a mere two years until they would return with an expanded sound on ‘The Naturist’) and it largely disappeared, only appearing on streaming services relatively recently. As such its recreation is accompanied by lyric sheets, chord charts and a little less of the usual live abandon.

Listened to in relation to what was to come, it’s a straightforward (and surprisingly loud offering), a document of a young, slightly left of centre, guitar band. They don’t try to retrofit the tracks to their more modern incarnation here and as such there are less of the flourishes that we’ve come to expect but what is evident is just what a strong set of songs they presented from the off. So strong were the melodies that the likes of ‘Words’, ‘Sad Songs’ and ‘Sleep’ were forced to accommodate two at a time, the intertwining vocals of Farrell and Podge McNamee fast becoming their secret weapon. The quality ran deep too, with maybe only ‘Ashes’ outstaying its welcome – an opinion apparently also held by the band.

From there on we’re into greatest hits territory and proof that they barely put a foot wrong over these three albums. ‘The Naturist’ is still a career highpoint but they had plenty to match it, as this glorious run of shows hammers home. While White Fox was an explosion of potential, in many ways Stories From The Surface was the point that it all came together in terms of words, music, critical respect and commercial success. Its roots, though, stretch back to those early days, the angular haircuts, crazy outfits and chaotic live shows. The fact that Darcy, Farrell and McNamee would go on to give us so many special moments over the years may have not been obvious at the time but, on reflection, how could they have not? Carry The Meek – like HamandwicH themselves – is a gem to be treasured