First of all, a major, shamefaced apology is due.
Because of mistaken assumptions about both the doors time and the position of El Dog on the bill we are painfully late.
Luckily, this is a band whose passion extends to the very last notes and so we still see a great show in just the last couple of songs.
The fact that the venue is already packed out – OK, not too difficult in the tiny basement, but this still deserves to be noted – with people cheering them on speaks volumes about this band’s draw.
The spell-binding finisher builds to a swirl of raucous guitars, their final chords strewn out from the stage as they throw themselves across it, lost in the blast.
To me the strongest recommendation you can give for a band is when, afterwards, you really want to see them again. All I can say is, next time I’ll set an alarm and arrive half an hour early just to make sure I don’t miss out.
Also tonight is Lions.chase.tigers – they’re definitely into the Loud/quiet/loud dynamic and pull it off well. With some quality, frisbee-related banter, they are at ease with their audience and save their best song for last, leaving with a bang.
Finally it’s Whisky Works, celebrating their new mini-album Deficit Attention Program – and from the reaction in the room it seems it’s long-awaited.
Although they keep things “mini” with a short set, Whisky Works are clearly excited about their release.
They have a little cheer for producer Iain Cook who’s proudly watching on from the audience and indeed there’s a little Aereogramme influence in their sound; as well as a touch of Thursday.
This doesn’t, however, stop them from having their own clear voice which is in full-throated evidence tonight as the band thunder through their tracks – guitarist swaying madly in the middle of the crowd.
They’re having a lot of fun – and from the roars of approval and demands for one more tune, so is the crowd.