A few good men descended on the infamously hipster Brixton on Thursday night, home to one of the UK’s most-unassuming venues, The Windmill. The Eskies, halfway through a UK tour, are in fine fettle, but could they inspire the city renowned for hushed, arms-folded gig gazing to raise their voices? Does James McClean deserve the freedom of Ireland?

With new album ‘And Don’t Spare The Horses’ on the way in December, The Eskies are gearing up for a huge 2018. Recently taking on new management mean the lads from in and around Tallaght are finally making waves, as evident by the few industry heads in attendance.

The Eskies don’t do nerves though, at least not visibly, and kick things off at a ferocious pace with new single All Good Men leading directly into When The Storm Came. It would be an evening of new tunes with the London crowd getting its first taste of what’s to come.

Eight new tracks worm their way into the 14-track set, a brave but fruitful move. Napoleon is The Eskies at their swashbuckling best, while I’m Not Sorry proves the “Londoners don’t sing” brigade aren’t out in force tonight.

Building Up Walls provides an extremely rare quiet moment in an Eskies set but it’s I’d Rather Be Lonely that is perhaps the evening’s highlight, with frontman Ian Bermingham declaring it the most-morbid love song ever written, inspired by his girlfriend’s belief that he is the most-morbid person she knows.

Long-time favourite Fever and new favourite Shame close out the set in rambunctious manner. If you were told that The Eskies are being told to play for their lives every time they step on the stage, you’d damn well believe it.

Nothing was left to spare, not even the horses.