It took a little while to get going, but eventually it did.

The first six or so songs were flat in both tune and atmosphere as it took the decent crowd inside Concorde 2 to warm to the Northern Irish three-piece. Silence from the band between songs was met with yet more silence from those waiting for a bit of spark.

And when it did kick in, it was a decent throwback to the 90s when British indie rock was riding a golden wave. Lots of noise came from the bass of Mark Hamilton and Rick McMurray's drum kit, even if it did sometimes drown out Tim Wheeler's vocals.

When the band nailed it, with McMurray harmonising, the fans bounced to hits stretching back to the group's formation in 1992. Critics could say their new material gives the indication their sound is being left behind by the new age of heavily manufactured Britpop.

But purists will say they are being true to what has kept them relevant for more than a quarter of a century in a very competitive business. It will depend which category fans fall into as to how much they enjoy the show.