The first night of The Bluetones' latest UK tour was so intimate that even from the back of the room you could hear the band joking around off mic.

But it was anything but a slight return for one of the biggest indie bands of 1990s as the audience upstairs in 53 Degrees were treated to the first ever live airings of some great new material.

And if lead singer Mark Morriss ever gets tired of fronting his unsung band, on Sunday's evidence, he'd be more than capable of pursuing a career as a stand up comic.

Quip of the night: "ladies and gentlemen, please bear in mind that for the next song, in my head... I'm Sting!"

The phrase "what can I say folks? Yet another one of our smash hit singles!" was cheekily uttered on more than one occasion as one genuine chart single followed another.

Crowd pleasers like Cut Some Rug, Bluetonic and Slight Return sounded as good now as they did when they were released nearly ten years ago.

The encore was rapturous, with the two hundred or so ecstatic fans all singing the finale to If.

The self-assuredness and enthusiasm of the performance - along with the quality of the new material - makes you think these boys have plenty left up their sleeves.

Just like the resurgence of Embrace last year, The Bluetones may well be on the verge of a well-deserved comeback.

Andrew Blackshire