Fusing the politicised fury of a divided America with classic songwriting, Algiers, the distinctive Atlanta rock-soul crossover act, performed a rousing set in what will be a tiny venue compared to the shows they are destined to play very soon.

They were supported by another band hopefully set for a glowing future (which is good to see after Royal Blood’s big Brighton Centre show the night before) in the form of sneering post-punks Red Deer People.

With searing guitars somewhere between Joy Division and The Birthday Party, shrieking above harsh vocals on the endearingly sarcastic C'est Bon, we had exactly the sort of angry, articulate alternative indie rock the likes of Wire pull off so well. This polished set, both crystalline and jagged, paved the way wonderfully for the equally cutting headliners.

With a Black Panthers poster on stage proclaiming “All Power To The People”, and even the band’s name evoking the anti-colonial uprising against French troops, Algiers frontman Franklin James Fisher’s polemic urged the downtrodden to rise. The brilliant Walk Like A Panther, with booming hip-hop bass enhancing Fisher’s rageful vocals, was powerful and hooky all at once.

Cry Of The Martyrs fused Gospel with old-school industrial metal and art rock sounds not dissimilar to the likes of Ministry or Big Black, whilst Black Eunuch’s own funky take on Gospel livened things up nicely. The undoubted high point came with the unbridled classic soul of the title track from this year’s latest record, The Underside Of Power, perfectly summarising this talented band’s ability to graft utterly infectious music to an essential cause.

A short set left the crowd chanting for an encore; there surely is much more to come from this band.