Live Review: Glen Hansard

It feels like a spiritual homecoming for Glen Hansard, a regular visitor to our shores in the last decade. The Concert Hall stage is adorned with instruments and the show starts promptly, Hansard declaring later, "We have a lot to get through".

Accompanied by horns, strings and a grand piano, the potential for sound is huge; but dynamics are used exquisitely throughout the night. Starting with Just To Be The One from Hansard's 2015 album, Didn't He Ramble, we are taken on a journey through his discography and a mash of styles from the folksiness of My Little Ruin to the blues-infused Way Back In The Way Back When.

Hansard has the enviable ability to tell a story. Via his engaging banter, we learn about the writing of a song for a New York waitress, the adventure of exploring his beloved Dublin with a bottle of wine and the experience of seeing Woody Guthrie's long lost guitar before a sublime cover of Vigilante Man. The backing band is superb with many performance highlights, but trombonist Curtis Fowlkes' verses on Wedding Ring particularly warm the cockles.

The love anthem, Falling Slowly, from Once, finishes the main set; Hansard teaming up with pianist Romy for a passionate rendition. The crowd erupts in anticipation of an obvious encore and we're not disappointed. We are treated to a further 45 minutes and a surprise introduction of Peadar O Riada, son of legendary Irish composer, Sean O Riada. His solo piano performance brings many to tears with its simple beauty.

After a rousing reunion with the full band on Her Mercy the epic overtime performance is done. The whole night is a success. But what lingers on is the unamplified Hansard solo, on the stage performing Stay The Road; the acoustics of this legendary venue a perfect setting for a legendary voice.