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It was truly a winter's night. The candles gave off the occasional flicker of light while Gareth Dunlop rubbed his hands together in an attempt to heat them up before his solo performance.

His set, however, warmed the soul of those present in the Black Box on Thursday night. Despite the lack of cohesion between songs (a slow track, then an upbeat number, then a sombre tune) his performance was promising, if not quite the finished article yet- fans of Ryan Adams and Joe Cocker should keep an eye on the singer-songwriter. Μύ

The first half was satisfactory but the last twenty minutes were something special indeed: the Iron & Wine inspired Ghosts, the beautiful Lady Luck and a surprisingly decent (and brave, if nothing else) cover of Springsteen's I'm on Fire makes this reviewer look forward to his album release in March 2010.

Iain Archer may have gotten used to over the top visual effects as an integral part of the Snow Patrol Reworked tour but the man thrives in an atmosphere like the Black Box. He makes a reference to it being the first time he's ever sold out somewhere that isn't the same size as "a bedroom" but most of us would have been none the wiser: there's a sudden intimacy between the audience and Iain from the first track.

The typical background chatter that generally exists at gigs like these disappeared instantly - even the till at the bar was muted. Iain's most recent album sacrifices most bells and whistles (literally) for a simple stripped down sound which he carries off with aplomb.

There's a sense of magic in the air - every track we hear tonight comes alive in comparison to their recorded counterpart. The complex lines can be deciphered but not necessarily understood while the fingerpicked guitar lines ring out for all to hear. Iain's voice can be devastatingly beautiful as he reaches for the higher notes in his register: when he occasionally does miss them it adds a sense of fragility to proceedings.

We're introduced to the characters behind songs, the stories, the anecdotes and the people that inspire Archer (as well as some guest appearances from Richard Coburn and Nathan Connelly). Hey Mia, Don't Be Lonely Tonight is simply breathtaking with some gorgeous reverb guitar and vocals - older tracks such as Boy Boy Boy are decent but they don't compare with this new fangled sound that's reminiscent of Bon Iver or The Tallest Man On Earth.

Archer has finally found his style and can exploit it to great effect - the classic Summer Jets is reinvented on stage, with a wall of sound and those timid vocals creating something simply beautiful (with a little help from a loop pedal). Streamer On A Kite provides a complex and mazy guitar part while a landscape is vividly described to us. It's a little bit of a shock to the system for the audience as When It Kicks In, a throwback to Archer's indie rock days, is played. It doesn't really follow the mood of the gig but it's decent nonetheless.

It's tough to pick out one track that really stands out: there's a real sense of the entire gig blurring together into one musical experience and you do get the feeling that a few more uptempo numbers were played in an attempt to prevent the crowd from falling into blissful slumber. However, Iain Archer's performance tonight was something to behold: an early Christmas present for Belfast.

Patrick Kane