Live Review: Arctic Monkeys, Pond

Freewheelin' Perth rockers Pond aren't really making the most of the giant stage beneath their feet, but their faux-psychedelia probably wouldn't seem as sincere if there was that distance between them. Instead, the five-piece huddle together front-and-centre and make a fantastically colourful racket, their humbling playing chops offset by a cheekiness that's found in every element of the band, from frontman Nick Allbrook's awkward banter to guitarist Joseph Ryan's Elvis-aping gold suit.

The cavernous BEC space is crawling with punters when the spiked 'AM' lighting rig starts beaming at us and Arctic Monkeys stride out from the wings with the nonchalant cool we've come to expect from the band circa-now. The High Green world-beaters are in town plugging arguably their biggest crossover triumph in AM, and they make sure we know it from the outset, kicking us in the guts immediately with Do I Wanna Know?, before backing up with another two cuts from the record, Snap Out Of It and Arabella. The latter sees Alex Turner revelling in frontman mode, cutting poses around the stage after freeing himself from his guitar strap.

The frontman is quickly back in the saddle, however, to navigate the quartet through an incredible passage that touches on each one of the band's five records, with highlights including the frantic tempos of Brianstorm – driven by rhythmic powerhouse (and track pants enthusiast) Matt Helders – the thundering riffs of Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair and those dancing verses that earmark Crying Lightning. The stage lighting is puncturing the smoky haze just nicely by now and after we've related to Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? and boogied along to I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, we're pretty much at Arctic Monkeys' mercy.

But instead of dropping the hammer, they choose to let us float off into the night, with No. 1 Party Anthem ironically welcoming in a subdued section that should have only been temporary but turns out to be pretty much permanent. Fluorescent Adolescent and 505 are good to sing along with, but following that we're given One For The Road and I Wanna Be Yours, which no one wants to hear in an encore. R U Mine? then looks set to salvage the final half-hour, but the PA cuts out just as the song is about to kick off. We're instead left to take vocal leads as one of the world's biggest bands struggles to be heard; however, they do us right by running through the song proper a final time, the drama giving the night some unexpected theatrics that arguably were more memorable than the last stanza of songs.