Ushering in an evening of stark contrasts and battered eardrums, Band Of Skulls cranked up the amps at Concorde 2.

Openers Bo Ningen are renowned for their frenzied, psychedelic freak-outs, and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

All sweeping guitars, shrieked vocals and motorik rhythms, their set was electrifying in its unpredictability, underpinned by some inspired songwriting.

They knew how to make an exit, too, dragging out their closing number in a squall of hypnotic noise.

Band Of Skulls’ approach could hardly have been more different. Currently supporting their third album, Himalayan, they served up an avalanche of elemental heavy rock thunder.

Though hardly original, their sturdy, riff-centric template worked well in front of this capacity crowd.

There were hints of The Black Keys’ arena-blues and Queens Of The Stone Age’s desert-scorched swagger, enhanced by the vocal interplay of Russell Marsden and Emma Richardson.

Older tracks like Sweet Sour and Death By Diamonds And Pearls continued to impress, while the new material bore mixed results.

Asleep At The Wheel slotted neatly into the set, but Brothers And Sisters lacked impact, as on record.

With that said, the trio’s performance was difficult to fault; built upon foundations of rumbling bass.

Their future looks bright.