Mec Lir stormed the Fruitmarket with a powerful set delivered with clever arrangements and aggressive energy. The Manx foursome was augmented by the addition of Ciaran Ryan, Paddy Callahan, Isla Callister and Adam Brown with the added bonus of rock guitarist Lyle Watt to further beef up their sound.

The material is rooted in Irish trad but rocked up by Tom Callister’s compositions and the power and precision of drummer Greg Barry. The group also gave us two new numbers along with most of their tracks from the Livewire CD. Best were Flashback and Repeal the Union, and David Kilgallon produced an unforgettable moment when the keyboardist came out front to solo on the Ax Synth!