THIS was one of those happy live occasions when the artists appeared to be relishing the music as much as, if not more than, the audience. And, rest assured, the audience were enjoying it a lot.

Chiefly performing songs from their ambitious new album Hollowbone — out on April 5 — Kathryn Tickell and the five other ebullient members of the Darkening were patently relishing the chance to give a first public airing to many of their fresh tunes.

The collective enjoyment was accentuated by a certain seat-of-the-pants nervousness as the band experimented with compositions that are being adapted to the live setting on a short promotional tour.

But they clearly love what they have come up with and it would have been hard for the audience to remain unmoved in the face of their zeal.

Upbeat, often rocky and occasionally almost funky, as with their new tune O-U-T Spells Out which is released as a single, much of the material was in refreshingly experimental folk vein, melding the quirkily modern with the curiously rooted old.

Especially striking was new song Nemesis, using words and melody ascribed to Mesomedes, a freedman in the time of the Emperor Hadrian, with a chorus added by Tickell.

Much of the other stuff was similarly slightly off the wall, with a scary lullaby section featuring a haunting bodhrun solo by Cormac Byrne and what might be the only known musical tribute to the town of Darlington.

The biggest reception of the night came for Kieran’s Challenge, a song off the album written by accordionist Amy Thatcher. It was played with abandon by all but most especially by the band’s enthusiast-in-chief Keiran Szifris on octave mandolin, for whom the song was written.

By that time the party was in full swing. Kings Place might have been better served without the impediment of seats but doubtless there’ll be venues with spaces for dancing on the rest of the tour. It’ll be a surprise if they’re not used to the full.

Touring until April 6, details: kathryntickell.com