The Script lit up Cork’s Marquee with a performance worth writing home about. Full of lights, confetti, fire and bravado, the band yet again proved why they are one of Ireland’s most popular musical exports.

Support on the evening was provided by Dublin’s Wild Youth, whose first year releasing music has been more fruitful than even they could have dreamed of. Playing simple indie-rock tunes, each chorus was met by a raucous response from their ardent fans who had lined the inner fence of the tent. Playing a mixture of unreleased material and recent singles, the band put on a display to be proud of, and one indicative of a band who have a point to prove and a message to send: that they are here to stay.

The loudest response of their set met the opening chords of their radio hit All or Nothing, with the audience singing back every word and being prompted by frontman David Whelan to sing the pre-chorus, a prompt which probably lasted a little bit longer than it should have. Finishing with their latest single Can’t Move On, the band had gone above and beyond the job of a support act and are sure to find themselves headlining only slightly smaller venues within the year.

It wasn’t long after Wild Youth had made their way offstage that the lights were lowered and a hushed silence came over the tent. Moments later, the two monitors onstage showed videos of different individuals defining what freedom means to them, tying in with the name of The Script’s latest album, ‘Freedom Child’.

Following the video, the band emerged on stage to the opening chords of one of their biggest hits, Superheroes. Pulsating flashes of light dazzled those in attendance, as the holes in the marquee’s roof emitted a star-like glow. The band, consisting of drums, keys, bass and guitar were as confident as you would expect, given their vast live experience. frontman Danny O’Donoghue leaped from one side of the stage to the other, not missing a note in between, while also seeming not to break a sweat.

The set started with a bang, but it was during their third song, the Irish-influenced Paint The Town Green that the evening truly lifted off. O’Donoghue invited members of Cork’s very own Wobbly Circus street performing troop onstage, men and women on stilts, jugglers, fire-eaters and other members of the circus appeared as if by magic. The carnival-like atmosphere was a bizarre sight to behold, as the lights surrounding the venue flashed the colours of the tri-colour, but the songs joyous reception from the crowd multiplied further when green confetti was released during the song’s climax. As the final notes of the track began to ring out from all sides of the venue, you got the sense that this was as good as it was ever going to get.

But fortunately, The Script have a vast repertoire to keep the momentum going, and classics such as The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, Nothing and For The First Time were met with some of the loudest cheers of the evening. O’Donoghue was impressive throughout, with pianos and acoustic guitars rolled out for the frontman during some of the set’s quieter moments. During No Man is an Island, O’Donoghue asked the audience to 8-step left and right in time with the music, a request that all in attendance heeded.

An encore of No Good in Goodbye, Breakeven and Hall of Fame proved the perfect way to cap off a night when The Script highlighted why they’re a band not to be taken lightly.