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A bustling Mandela Hall, merchandise, people chatting excitedly about the imminent gig. Another big touring band visiting the Students' Union then? Wrong. This time, all the stops have been pulled out for Northern Irish heroes And So I Watch You From Afar and the launch of their debut album.

The build up to this gig was incredible with plenty of press attention and word of mouth spreading around the whole of Northern Ireland. With hype like this generated around the launch, the pressure was definitely on, especially after the success of their previous big gig, 'A Little Solidarity'.

Support on the night came from Sully, Pocket Billiards, Adebisi Shank and The Lowly Knights. All of the acts put in absolutely great performances but out of the bunch, the most talked about were Adebisi Shank and the Lowly Knights for very different reasons.

Wexford band Adebisi Shank flew the flag for the music scene south of the border, playing a loud and energetic set, which was great for building the excitement and energy of the room. Judging from the crowd response, both during and after the performance, Adebisi have grabbed Northern Irish music lovers by the ears, rattled their brains around and left us all wanting more. They are absolutely a band to keep an eye on.

Next up we had Belfast-based band, The Lowly Knights. There was quite a mixed response to the folk rockers, especially their positioning on what seemed to be a purely 'rawk' night of music. While there was a small pocket of people who jeered the Knights at one point, the general opinion was that they put on a great show. They really are a gifted bunch of musicians and would have received a much better response in a different line up. They have been championed quite a bit by bands, journalists and broadcasters for quite some time, and rightly so. They have a special sound that demands your attention and sends you into a warm and fuzzy daze. The Mandela stage suited the Knights so well and their upcoming slot with Sons And Daughters and Frightened Rabbit at CQAF will no doubt ensure that the hype surrounding this band at the minute lasts and lasts.

And so to the main event. After months of preparation and planning, the anticipation in Mandela hall was intense. The crowd packed into the venue to get the perfect position to witness something that promised to be truly spectacular. The house lights went down, the National started playing around the hall and from the shadows walked the heroes of the hour, And So I Watch You From Afar.

Before the band had even began to play a single note, the crowd were going nuts screaming and cheering, and once the pounding opening notes of 'Set Guitars To Kill' blasted out, there was not a single person in the room who wasn't head banging or jumping around.

The set consisted of the debut album from start to finish in its entirety, a feat that not many bands have ever tried, or are able to pull off successfully, showing that ASIWYFA aren't just your average band. Aside from the storming album (and gig) opener, musical highlights included a 'choir' of singers made up of a who's who of local musicians singing the backing chants during 'Don't Waste Time Doing Things You Hate'. ASIWYFA then nipped off stage briefly, before returning with their encore tracks, old favourite (and now classic) 'The Voiceless' and an eventful finale which saw the band stop playing briefly to reason with a bouncer to let a guy in the crowd finish his surfing. Finish he did and ended up on stage dancing for the duration, meanwhile Tony from ASIWYFA went old school rock and trashed a guitar. The set was passionate, energetic, emotional and everything in between. A roller coaster ride that no one wanted to end, it's hard to see how any other band could possibly top this show.

It's almost impossible to single out one or two tracks that really stood out above the rest because the whole set was phenomenal! It was plain to see on everyone's face, band and punters alike, that this was an emotional experience. The atmosphere was electric and full of excitement. The production, lighting and sound were amazing and fitting for such an occasion. Massive congratulations have to go out to everyone involved, it was one of the greatest spectacles ever witnessed in Belfast. If you were at the gig, there's no doubt it has made your top 5 gigs ever. And if you have your album already, I bet its on repeat.

Words: Emma-Rose McGrady
Pics: Alan Maguire