★★★★

EARLY forecasts for Hooton Tennis Club’s gig at Bleach looked grim as their support bands played out to a primarily empty room. Only a few more turned up for the main event, but despite the thin smattering of punters, the indie pop four-piece looked to be having a raucous time.

Upon taking to the stage, guitarist Ryan Murphy comically squinted through the stage lights and started to count the number of people in the room, earning a big laugh. This is a group that have been slowly building on their small fan base over the last few years.

While an often polished proposition on record, hearty helpings of grit were injected by the group in their live renditions. Numbers like Powerful Pierre were transformed from twee sing-alongs into thumping indie anthems, and plenty of heads were nodding along in the audience.

They also consolidated this freewheeling spirit by eschewing encore convention and choosing instead to play right though to the venue’s curfew. Saving what could have been a disastrous night with fun and good humour, the Hootons proved their gigging prowess. We can only hope for a better turn-out next time.

Charles Cook