Mumford & Sons

Savoy Theatre, Cork Mon 8pm 28 021-4253000; Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway Tues 8pm 28 091-538300; Dolan’s Warehouse, Limerick Wed 9pm 28 061-314483

It’s been a quick turnaround in the space of four years for these English folk/rockers. Emerging out of what we can only loosely term the West London Folk Scene, which also spawned the likes of Laura Marling and Noah the Whale, Marcus Mumford and his bandmates seem to have captured the corner of the market known as “chum pop”. In other words, if you’re looking for bright and breezy music with few edges but lots of tunes to hum along to(and weighted with literary references, from Shakespeare to Steinbeck), then these gentlemen are yours for the taking.

As can be seen by the band's recent Grammy nominations and show (which saw them perform live with a virtually tuneless Bob Dylan) and their Brit Award (British Album of the Year for Sigh No More), a lot of people love them. Certainly, if you're not swayed by the album's tunes you might just be by their live shows, which mix knees-up energy and a lust for fun that is sometimes sorely missing from other folk/rock acts.

Can't see that? Catch this:

Hercules & Love Affair Thurs, Dublin