It's no secret uk-fusion's got a soft spot for Boston quartet American Hi-Fi (specifically, frontman Stacy), so when we were invited to hang out with Mr Jones in a greasy spoon café before making our way back for the sound-check earlier in the day, expectations were high for the band's first headlining tour in two years.

Stacy is lively and looks exuberantly happy, constantly nattering a load of nonsense to the kids in the front.  Disappointingly, they play their biggest hit (and debut single) 'Flavor Of The Weak' very early into the set, which leads to the band nearly being pushed off the stage by the crowd moshing at their feet.  A lone security heavy reluctantly wanders up to the stage (oh, take your time, why don't you?), by which time the crowd have cleared the area.

New single 'The Art Of Losing' gets a thorough bashing, as do favourites 'Beautiful Disaster', 'The Breakup Song' and 'Nothing Left To Lose'.  Not forgetting to plug 'Vertigo' (off the American Pie 2 soundtrack), the rocky pace is toned down for 'Another Perfect Day', giving the exhausted crowd a chance to ring out their ears.

Annoyingly, Stacy keeps repeating "We're American Hi-Fi!' at regular intervals.  Er, why?  It sounds tedious and unoriginal especially when you're the headlining act!

Sporting a Ziggy Stardust t-shirt and a cropped hair-do (incidentally had it cut today), the younger crowd are in awe of the former Veruca Salt drummer.  One jumps onto the stage to join him for a song and another asks Stacy for a kiss. He doesn't seem keen and eventually we find out why when he finally agrees - the kisser is a guy.  A folded piece of paper with the words "READ ME" scribbled in thick, black marker pen lands by the feet of bassist Drew, who takes a few seconds to acknowledge it before a crew member snucks under his feet to dispose of it.

Halfway through the set, Stacy pulls out a pack of playing cards from his pocket to throw randomly into the moshpit - whoever gets the ace of spaces, gets a backstage pass.  It's all fun and games here tonight.

We are then treated to a cover of The Jam's 'In The City', before the band pick out some more favourites from the first LP as well a selection of angsty rock from the new release.  It's loud and we're told we fucking rock by Stacy, but really there is no need to point that out.

Promising to return in July for an extensive UK tour, we all pile out of The Scala, dazed if not slightly deafened by the thunder of American Hi-Fi.  Hope Mr Jones took notes after...
(3˝/5) 

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Photos: Afsheen Shaikh