ONE song can certainly define an artiste in the eyes and ears of the world.

You try humming anything but the obvious ones by Norman Greenbaum, Althea & Donna, Bachman Turner Overdrive, The Knack, Survivor….

And so it is the case that what defines The Waterboys for most people outside their relatively small coterie is the minor hit from 1985 The Whole Of The Moon.

That’s a big shame because these rock’n’roll playing Celtic folkies have an immense and varied catalogue of work stretching back to 1983.

Really, this lot should be bigger. Much bigger.

The seven-piece Waterboys called at the Pavilion still sort of promoting last year’s successful Out Of All This Blue double album on the first date of a tour which stretches throughout this summer.

Creative, radical mainman Mike Scott is the only ever-present amid a 35-year revolving doors personnel policy which makes being a member of The Fall seem like a secure job.

The singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist has a great turn of phrase and an excellent, versatile voice.

He also has presence, tells a good story – one was of holidaying at the Durley Dean Hotel in 1973 – and didn’t hog the limelight, often deferring to the sublime rock fiddle of Dublin’s Steve Wickham.

The true test of enjoying a gig – appreciating the music without significant prior knowledge of the content – was passed with flying colours.

The 150-minute set began with old favourites Medicine Bow and All The Things She Gave Me, included the Patti Smith tribute A Girl Called Johnny and featured We Will Not Be Lovers.

Five tracks from Out Of All This Blue didn’t sound at all out of place – the countryesque Santa Fe being the stand-out number – nor did 2015’s Modern Blues track Still A Freak.

The rock-orientated first half ended with a couple of newish songs Man, What A Woman and Morning Came Too Soon. The well-honed ‘Boys were knuckling down to serious, lengthy jamming, aided by the flamboyant keyboardist ‘Brother’ Paul Brown, looking like a hybrid of early Roxy Brian Eno, John Gorman of Tiswas and comedian Paul Foot.

In the engine room was groovetastic, jazz-influenced drummer Ralph Salmins, a professor at the Royal College of Music and the sticksman called upon by everyone from Paul McCartney and Elton John to Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross.

After the interval it got a bit more folky with acoustic sounds dominating on The Christ In You, When Ye Go Away and Nearest Thing To Hip. Scott and Wickham then appeared as a duo for a stunning, pared-down Don’t Bang The Drum.

Stomping set-closer Long Strange Golden Road lovingly channelled Tom Petty, then the ‘Boys returned triumphant for a glorious, vibrant mash-up of Prince’s Purple Rain.

And yes, of course, there was room in a 19-song set for The Whole Of The Moon, as the second encore - but you know what, it wasn’t even in the top 10 songs tonight.