If WhirlyGig are the godfathers of trad, then the grandfathers might do well to keep an eye out for horses' heads beneath the bedspreads.

These nine newcomers have wasted little time in establishing their territory, using their adopted mafiosodon personae to corner a market in acid trad that was screaming to be filled. Cavan frontman, Liam Donohoe might be a tad too sanguine to exude any Brando gravitas, but it's that very twinkle in the eye that captures the band's essence. One part surreal humour to two parts magnificent musicianship, WhirlyGig might take no prisoners, but mercifully it's the music that's captivating, not their bluff PR japes.

Anchored by the renaissance talents of Declan Quinn on sundry whistles and Eugene Quinn on banjo, with Donal O'Connor partnering self-effacingly on fiddle, WhirlyGig set a pace that's manic and yet measured in all the right places. The Oriental Set gave full vent to this collective's extraordinary, spirited style: full of unexpected chord changes and rooted by magnificent accordion and gorgeous cello, it lifted the lid on a remarkable deftness of touch that spanned the entire band. Ming, The Trip To Beijing was equally lateral in its thinking, Donal O'Connor scattering traditional set arrangements with his opening salvo on fiddle.

The songs proved to be the weakest link in an otherwise solid set. Apart from Smokescreen and The Carni- val (unveiling a fine, but reticent vocalist in Eoin Scott), many of the others struggled to establish an identity, amid a plethora of tunes which shouted personality from the word go.

If Michael Coleman was responsible for putting his foot to the pedal when he took the music to New York, WhirlyGig must surely be hitting "Mach 3" on the speed dial. Trad music for trad maniacs.