Review | Alt-bluegrass stars The Coal Porters play The Undertones, Bowie and more at The Square Tower, Old Portsmouth

But then there aren’t many bluegrass acts who have written a tribute to punk-forefathers The Ramones and their immortal cry.

The self-styled ‘alt-bluegrass’ progenitors The Coal Porters litter their set with punk and rock covers. Sure, there are other acts in the genre who work in a similar field, but it can often feel like a gimmick.

Here, the band’s originals stand tall alongside the covers. But then not every act can boast the pedigree of the Porters. Founded back in 1989 by Sid Griffin, who was previously in legendary Americana band The Long Ryders, the rest of the band are no slouches in the talent department either.

Griffin, on mandolin, shares most of the lead vocals with co-founder and guitarist Neil Robert Herd, aside from a spirited take on The Style Council’s Walls Come Tumbling Down, led by violinist Kerenza Peacock.

There are sublime harmonies throughout, with Peacock adding a welcome feminine touch to the four gents’ vocals.

Mid-set Griffin and Peacock leave the stage. The remaining trio, Herd with double-bassist Andrew Stafford and Paul Fitzgerald trading his banjo for a lap-steel guitar, also play as the Dirty Little Acoustic Band. Their pair of atmospheric country songs make a sweet interlude. In the second half the rest of the band leave for Griffin to play a couple of solo numbers, demonstrating his class as a songwriter.

Full-band versions of David Bowie’s Heroes and Chuck Berry’s C’est La Vie have the packed house singing along.

And during their original numbers the melodies and vocals ring true. The occasional fluffed line only adds to the evening’s sense that this is a night among friends.

They finish by coming down off the stage to play “an Irish folk song” among the crowd. It’s The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks.

It’s all enough to have the purists spinning in their graves faster than that kid in Deliverance can play Duelling Banjos, but that’s their problem.

They have been on hiatus for the past six years and it’s seven since their last visit to Portsmouth, but this is a most welcome comeback.