Beachdown and The Great Escape aside, Young Knives have a checkered live past in Brighton.

Marketed as if trying to keep their gigs secret, they have consistently undersold smaller venues, as though everyone assumes they can’t get anywhere near capturing the barmy brilliance of their records when they take to the stage.

They tried out a number of new tunes on Wednesday, leaving no one any the wiser as to how their latest material will fare in the aftermath of the Mercury-nominated Voices Of Animals And Men and witty follow-up Superabundance.

Perhaps it was their sound, which inexplicably went low on the eccentric, yelping vocals, or maybe it was simply the fact there are only three Knives attempting to belt out the barrage of the Gang Of Four-inspired riffs they produce in the studio, but their trademark rip-roaring guitars and rumbling bass appeared muted and tame in front of this audience, who seemed to require winning over.

It was a state of affairs lead singer Henry Dartnell accepted with his usual self-deprecating wit, promising the crowd a break from new material in spite of some vaguely audible choruses to match the likes of old favourites The Decision and Terra Firma.

Dressed in their uniform charity-shop suits, they are an outfit indifferent to how they are perceived. For the ultimate geek band of choice, underachievement seems a fitting epitaph.