Psychedelic pop purveyors Of Montreal made their name with almost 20 years of theatrical and flamboyant stage shows.

But anyone new to the band would have found it hard to believe in the opening half hour of their Brighton show.

Playing in a stripped-down (for Of Montreal) five-piece format, frontman Kevin Barnes was rooted to the microphone, with his inner psychedelic child on display through the fluid back projections behind the band rather than his performance.

Part of the reason for this more muted approach may have been down to the more lyrical-heavy nature of current album Aureate Gloom.

Even more than on previous releases the guitar wigouts have been replaced by freeform verbosity, with Barnes throwing in four-syllable words with happy abandon on songs like Empyrean Abattoir and Estocadas. As such the guitars were dialled down to let his vocals shine through.

Musically the album highlight Last Rites At The Jane Hotel underlined his unique take on songwriting – refusing to build a song around one riff when five killers will do.

It was as Barnes dipped into his vast back catalogue in the closing moments that the blue touchpaper was finally lit and the audience left the venue on a high.

Three stars