Sportsmans 25 Festival of Live Music

August, and Round 3 of the Sportsmans 25 Festival returns to Kielys of Mount Merrion on 26th, 27th & 28th. If you haven't made it along so far, here's what you've missed.

The idea of trying to recreate the pub rock scene of the 70s and 80s, using the same bands that were around then, seemed a long shot back in May. Could the atmosphere of those times be re-created? Could these guys still actually play? Six nights and seven acts later all answers are in the affirmative, over 400 people each night bopping, swaying, jiving and generally rocking from the first note.

Anchoring on Saturdays, John Keogh has proved that in Full Circle he still heads the best party band in the city. 100% rock 'n' roll, a Full Circle gig still feels like the best wedding you've been at all year, without the need for a present.

Stepaside's early evening gig on Sundays has been uniquely, well, Stepaside. The band that had the trendiest followers 25 years ago don't seem to have lost them and their mix of classic covers ("Get out of Dublin", "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl") and their own hits ("Sit Down and Relapse", "Always Loved You", "Last Resort", "Yellow Chair") provides for powerpop at its best. These guys' pedigree means that there's no telling who'll appear to swell the numbers onstage (Anto Drennan checked in last time) and the early evening slot has added the unexpected twist of many people bringing the kids along to show them what Mam and Dad used to get up to. The sight of ten-year-olds playing air guitar to Mark Costigan and Brenny Bonass' interchanges is not something we'd anticipated. Pub rock for all the family.

If you missed the Alias B Band in June you have another chance to catch them this month. Bree Harris plays regularly around town but in the original members of the Alias B she was backed by as fine a set of musicians as you could gather on the east coast. Cue a stomping set of pure blues-rock that made her many new fans. Her best gig in years? We'll know on the 26th.

It seems churlish to pick out highlights in an event which has been a success on every level, but the idea of asking Jimmy Smith, "Doish" Nagle and Paul Moran to reform The Bogey Boys after an absence of 24 years could have fallen flat on its face. Instead, accompanied be a second (!) drummer, bass and keyboards (James Delaney again) they delivered a set of pure RnB/Pub Rock that blew the house down (clichés are just unavoidable here). "Friday Night", "Obituary", "Madison Blues", "Crazy About a Mercury". Lads, you were never that good 24 years ago. Quite simply, one of the best nights ever at the Sportsmans Inn.

They'll be back (if we have to drag them screaming).