The Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny hosted the second of two nights with Irish folk favourites Ye Vagabonds, a show that felt both intimate and quietly triumphant. Originally scheduled as a single performance, overwhelming demand saw an additional date added the night before, a testament to the duo’s growing audience.
Opening the evening, Lemoncello gently eased the fully seated crowd into the night with their warm, understated charm. Their set included a personal highlight, Dopamine, which drew an appreciative response from the audience, before closing with their newly released single Articulate Animal, fresh out this month and already sounding at home in a live setting.
Though known as a duo, Ye Vagabonds expanded to a quintet for the performance, enriching their signature folk sound with layered instrumentation and deeper textures. Much of the set focused on material from their latest album, All Tied Together, with the songs resonating beautifully in the theatre’s attentive atmosphere. The seated crowd listened with near reverence, rewarding each song with heartfelt applause.
The result was an evening defined by warmth, musicianship, and connection, a reminder of how powerful folk music can be when given space to breathe.
Lemoncello photos:
Ye Vagabonds photos:
Photos & words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic