Them Bruins are the first batters to step up to the plate this evening, and their lead singer is totally unfazed by the half-full venue. He’s pulling out the falsetto, gesturing wildly and performs the last few songs off stage amongst the crowd.

Magic Bones are up next and they produce an impressive sound with ferocity and plenty of rock’n’roll swagger. Lead singer and drummer Dylan Thorpe is enthralling to watch and despite the fact he is giving those drums a serious thrashing, he’s not out of breath or out of tune when he sings.

'The crowd hums the echo during the chorus.'

When British India’s lead singer Declan Melia and bassist Will Drummond arrive on stage they seem surprisingly calm rather than full of beans. It might have something to do with the hometown crowd, and it’s evident that the audience is happy to have them home.

Unsurprisingly songs from British India’s last record, Controller, such as I Can Make You Love Me and Blinded, are met with plenty of enthusiasm. What we aren’t expecting, and are beyond thrilled with, is when they play older songs from earlier albums Thieves and Guillotine, with the majority of the crowd knowing every word. Run The Red Light is a particular highlight, which the audience screams along to, and I Said I’m Sorry sounds great when the crowd hums the echo during the chorus. This clearly puts the band at ease, as they are happy to stray from a set list and ask the audience what we would like to hear next.

"Melia’s vocals sound strong and confident."

The set is also punctuated with new songs from their upcoming album, which will be released early next year. New single, Wrong Direction, clearly already has a few fans, and Melia’s vocals sound strong and confident. The crowd is happy to be guinea pigs for British India’s new material, and we can assure you it’s sounding pretty damn good. One song in particular, Suddenly, stands out – keep your ears out for this one.

Coming towards the close of the set, Vanilla is a real gut-busting song that has guitarist Nic Wilson and drummer Matt O’Gorman drenched in sweat, and much to our delight, they close with Black & White Radio. Their well-deserved encore includes a cover of KISS’ I Was Made For Lovin’ You, which further demonstrates how playful and at home British India are feeling. While it’s clear their sound is maturing, British India still know how to get in touch with the raw energy that has captured fans for a decade. Overall, an excellent night filled with classic alternative rock tunes, and a lot of promise for their new album.