Star rating: *** Nuala Kennedy was at risk of becoming the Imelda Marcos of traditional music as her New Shoes took on near orchestral proportions, with guests dropping in to share tunes from Canada, Italy, France, Northumberland and even Ivor Cutlerland as well as Kennedy's native Dundalk.

Star rating: ***

Nuala Kennedy was at risk of becoming the Imelda Marcos of traditional music as her New Shoes took on near orchestral proportions, with guests dropping in to share tunes from Canada, Italy, France, Northumberland and even Ivor Cutlerland as well as Kennedy's native Dundalk.

The nature of the evening, where spontaneity and ad hoc pairings played as big a part as arranged set-pieces, lent an atmosphere of borderline chaos at times. But the good-natured participation, along with some inspired playing, made an enjoyable occasion.

Kennedy is a splendid flautist who, as well as developing a robust tunefulness, has learned well from her mentor, Boys of the Lough's Cathal McConnell, who was on hand to provide customary wit, sweet singing, and whistle and flute expertise, and produced an early highlight in a flute duet with Kennedy.

A more hastily convened accordion duo, featuring Italian Filippo Gambetta and Julian Sutton, from Newcastle, heralded a partnership of possibilities with great understanding and melodic, harmonic and rhythmical exploration, and Kennedy and Gambetta's adventures on Fireballs of the Eucharist, a splendidly mangled medical diagnosis and inventive tune from Canadian Oliver Schroer, saw sparks fly before the full band added its muscle.

If Kennedy's singing doesn't, as yet, have the same certainty as her flute and whistle playing, she can still present a song with honesty, feeling and where appropriate, a touch of mischief, and in her musical ideas and vision she's certainly come a long way from her youthful days in Fine Friday.