Earlier this year, Will Butler made the leap from member of Arcade Fire to solo artist in his own right with the release of his debut album ‘Policy’. Admittedly, this writer was at first somewhat fearful and slightly dubious about this decision. How would the album compare to the Arcade Fire classics we all know and love? However, the worrying thoughts were quickly made redundant upon hearing the eight track album, which is packed with foot stomping, catchy tunes.

It is not surprising that even with minimum publicity, Will’s Whelan’s gig sold out instantly and on Saturday 25th of April fans flocked to the venue to witness the maestro in action. Support came from new folk, harp and harmony driven band O Sister, who performed well despite the sound set up not being quite in their favour.

At roughly nine thirty, Will Butler graces the stage, dressed for the occasion wearing a dicky bow and blazer. The set begins with You Must Be Kidding, a song written while on tour with Arcade Fire in São Paulo. “You must be joking, it’s only just begun” he croons as he commences one of the most memorable performances Whelan’s has ever hosted.

It’s worth noting that right off the bat, Will’s band are upbeat and likeable as they play with grins stretching from ear to ear. Will has a knack of holding the attention of the excitable crowd throughout the gig, even when performing some lesser known, non-album tracks. This is a skill he has no doubt refined over the years and is exemplified by Sun Comes Up, an infectious tune with a prominent drum beat and strong chordal backing on keys. It wouldn’t be surprising if DJ’s pounced on this song and turned it into a summer club anthem.

The good vibes continue with lead single Anna as Will steps to the forefront of the stage conducting the audience through the “Bombobombomboms”. Throughout the gig Will’s drummer Miles attracts quite a bit of attention for his skillful and passionate performance. The kit is arranged so that he can play standing up, harmonise and take the odd sip from a glass of red wine. A professional multi-tasker. The backing vocalists continue to show off their incredible range and power during the electric guitar driven What I Want.

Witness, a song with rapid, repetitive, pounding chords, that sounds like it belongs in the sixties, prompts the crowd to sing along and dance. Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly warm to Mr. Butler more, he encourages the audience to go out and vote in the upcoming referendum.

At this point the energy in Whelan’s is simply ecstatic and it’s difficult to imagine how he will heighten this for the encore but let’s not forget; where there’s a Will there’s a way. The band jump off the stage and worm their way right into the middle of the crowd to perform an acoustic sing-song.

Everyone sings “Come to me baby” for several minutes, as a sweat drenched, happy Will proclaims that he doesn’t want to stop. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and they eventually retreat back to the stage and call it a night.

Will Butler is a first class performer with a remarkable ability to hypnotise a crowd. It’s a rare thing these days for musicians to transfix a large group of people with unfamiliar songs, but Mr. Butler pulled it off with ease. Years of touring have given him the ability to perform with exceptional confidence and move on stage with comfort in a style that is purely his own. This was was a finely crafted, unforgettable show, firmly placing Will Butler as one of our generation’s leading songwriters and performers.