If the world was coming to an end, every Rakes gig would still be perfect.

Perhaps it's a tad ambitious but if every band approached every gig the way The Rakes do, the world could be a much happier place.

Lead singer Alan Donohoe's rather diminutive figure doesn't stop him from being one of the most entertaining frontmen around.

The band are unafraid to wear their influences on their sleeves, as Donohoe channels the spirit of Ian Curtis with his psychotic twitching, Matthew Swinnerton's guitar follows close behind reliving Graham Coxon's past glories.

After the hit single 22 Grand Job, The Rakes are slowly becoming accustomed to leaving the grind of the nine to five immortalised in the song to playing much bigger venues than Audio.

The Brighton seafront nightclub was hand-picked as a warm-up for a national tour which kicks off next month and it was clear neither the crowd nor the band were underwhelmed by such an intimate venue.

Donohue's infectious enthusiasm slowly spread through the audience, and a mix of favourites and new art-pop gems left the crowd delighted.

The beginning of the set was slow and dark, underscored by penetrating basslines and angular guitar work. But there was always an urgency and a charge to the songs.

The band formed after Donohue and bassist Jamie Hornsmith met at college.

When the foursome was complete they named themselves The Rakes in a tongue-in-cheek jibe at all four being "skinny as rakes".

Although they might be lightweight in appearance, this London-based band are becoming big hitters, with their live gigs sending shockwaves through the indie scene. Like Joy Division and Wire before them, they often twist away from the obvious lyrical subjects.

Strasbourg tackles rioting, espionage and Eastern Bloc oppression, while Terror! is mumbled paranoia, dealing with the 9/11 fallout.

Donohue is, without a doubt, the centre of things. It's impossible to take your eyes off him when he's in full flow, as he acts out every lyric through a series of bizarre hand gestures.

As a band, it would seem they're getting tighter with every show they play.

Crucially, they also look as if they're having a great time, drawing energy from a crowd who hang on to every note.