On the back of his fourteenth studio release, Ryan Adams arrives in Dublin to play the first of two dates at a packed Olympia Theatre.

The stage design catches you first; two wilfully over-sized amplifiers stand pillar-like either side of the stage. Then, it’s the music; Adams and his band begin the show with Gimme Something Good, a choppy guitar driven track from the North Carolina native’s latest self-titled album. Under blue washed light, the band ease straight into Let It Ride; quick to maintain the early energy.

There’s a distinct connection between Adams and his audience; a campaign feel to it almost. They adore him. A great silence holds them during Dirty Rain, and as the music rises with four chords on repeat, the crowd respond with boisterous encouragement. Donning a new guitar on as many tracks, Adams reaches for the acoustic and fills the venue with the sweet, unaccompanied sound of Winding Wheel. New York New York, played with a dash of newness keeps the audience guessing to some degree as to which tracks from his wealthy collection will feature, and in what form.

Adams shows his true stock, his ability to tinker with genres and sounds. There’s an undeniable energy when he revisits Magnolia Mountain – a track from his days with The Cardinals. Kim and My Wrecking Ball take us from country folk to a modern, organ-heavy vibe so consistent with Adams in recent years. He speaks; in his own oddly bespoke way. He parodies about those who talk aloud at gigs, those who drink, those who get ‘bombed,’ and those who may be on a date. And for his stick-poking at social norms, and for proclaiming “I’d love to play here every night,” he receives the richest applause of the night.

Natalie press (the superb support act on the night) joins the band on stage for a remarkable rendition of Oh My Sweet Carolina. With so many of our own abroad of late, you can’t help but feel the same sense of home sang by the pair. A somewhat subdued version of Trouble goes by with little impact, while a brief encore comprising solely of Come Pick Me Up, brings every voice in the room to its strained best. Somewhat bizarrely, the show ends with the band wielding swords, playfully camineering for the audience.

His wit is as individual as his voice, and while Ryan Adams sure knows how to recycle four chords into countless songs, its his lyrics and undeniable persona which stand above it all, and ultimately, make the music deeply original.