A cock-up with the guest list leaves me waiting around 20 minutes before I’m let in, and consequently I almost miss part of The Upper Room’s set. It turns out I don’t because they’re running late, but it wouldn’t have been a big loss. ‘All Over This Town’ was apparently a Top 40 single recently, but generally the band look like throwbacks from the Britpop era, who only occasionally manage a hint of Libertines/Razorlight swagger that sets them apart from so many others. Closing the new single ‘Black And White’ it sounds a bit better, but the band’s time isn’t yet.

Bell X1, on the other hand, are already huge – at least, in their native Ireland where new album Flock went straight to number one. Over here, the album’s only been out a few days, so new songs have to be introduced to the crowd, and interspersed with old favourites from Music In Mouth like ‘Next To You’ and ‘Alphabet Soup’.

For someone presumably used to playing much larger crowds, frontman Paul Noonan looks incredibly awkward on this stage. There’s nothing wrong with his performance itself, but he dances like a Thunderbirds puppet, and plays tambourine like a ‘special’ child. Nonetheless, it’s a fairly endearing manner, particularly when accompanied by camp theatrical flourishes (especially later on, in ‘Flame’).

While the band certainly have an impressive repertoire of songs behind them, the biggest problem seems to be crafting those into a coherent set. Just as the crowd start to get going after a couple of upbeat songs, something like ‘Bad Skin Day’ kills the mood – even if the slow songs are just as appreciated, judging by the applause that follow each.

The highlights, however, are easy to pick – ‘Eve, The Apple Of My Eye’ (from the latest O.C. soundtrack) and recent single ‘Flame’, which apparently sits a number 65 in the charts – not that it would bother those of us happily singing and clapping along to one of the band’s finest pop songs.

The second half of the band’s set sees them really warmed up and tearing through some old, rockier numbers ‘Tongue’ and ‘White Water Song’. Unfortunately the early weekend curfew means the band are off stage by 9:40 – though at least they come back for a three-song encore, that leaves the crowd satisfied. Perhaps Bell X1 aren’t as accomplished live as they are on record, but still it’s puzzling why they aren’t playing the larger venues frequented by the likes of Travis and Snow Patrol. Let’s hope the new album brings them more recognition on these shores.

(4/5)

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