Anna Calvi

Vicar St, Dublin Tomorrow 7.30pm 16.50 0818-719390

Last December the British-Italian Anna Calvi introduced herself to Irish audiences with a short but spellbinding set at Dingle’s Other Voices event. Within two months, her debut album had been released to a wave of critical appreciation and then, almost before you could blink, it was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.

But enough about the superb Anna Calvi – what about Calvi herself? We can testify that on stage she’s a firecracker, that she plays guitar with an intensity that is equal parts unsettling and inspiring (she hits the strings in a circular motion, rather than strumming, dontcha know), and that she is wont to dress in the style of a male flamenco dancer.

All this is good news for the petite singer. The great news for her is that she has most recently won the European Border Breaker Award, which celebrates pan-European success. Ah, but to think Ireland saw her first.

Can't see that? Catch this:Land Lovers, Sat, Dublin