When Miles Kane announced he was doing a special 'Rock 'N' Roll Crimbo' gig in Manchester, it was difficult to know what to expect.
Would it just be loads of Christmas covers with a couple of his own songs thrown in? Would there be any Christmas theme at all or was the gig just named as such because was scheduled to take place a week-and-a-bit before the big day?
Upon walking into the gorgeous 1,000-capacity hall at New Century for the first time in my life, I got my answer. Initially I spotted the red lights on the ceiling, but then as the delicate vocals of the night's first support act Pixey drew my eyes to the stage, I saw a Christmas tree in the corner and tinsel draped over the keyboard.
READ MORE : Stockport lads Blossoms bring the party as they begin four-night run at Manchester's O2 Apollo
Considering that tickets were less than £30, the quality of the support acts booked were really high, with Pixey already having some mainstream success with her cover of Charlatans banger 'One to Another' being used as the theme song for BT Sport's Premier League coverage this season.
She was replaced on stage by Red Rum Club, who I had watched smash it out of the park at Neighbourhood Weekender earlier in the year.
When a band's walk-out song is 'Who Let the Dogs Out?', you know that you're in for a party and the Liverpudlian six-piece did not disappoint. It had been a bit chilly in the venue as it was still filling up but their feel-good, summery tunes could warm up any room.
Frontman Francis Doran always seems to have a great time and doesn't take himself too seriously, which is always refreshing to see. Highlights of the set included 'Vibrate', 'Love Me Like You Wanna Be Loved' and the euphoric closing track 'Would You Rather Be Lonely', which I can already see hundreds of people belting out in a tent at Glastonbury next year.
At around 9.30pm, Miles Kane finally came to the stage and seemingly set the tone for the rest of the night with a surprise cover of Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody'. Inflatable candy canes were held aloft in the crowd and Miles was lit up with red and green spotlights.
It turned out to be the only Christmas song of the night as the Last Shadow Puppets star blitzed his way through a 17-song set. All four of his solo albums got a decent runout, meaning that there was an eclectic mix of genres throughout, from mod to glam rock to Motown-inspired tracks.
He also finds place in the set for three Last Shadow Puppets songs, including a rare outing for 'Meeting Place', which is incredibly well received and 'Aviation', which Alex Turner originally wrote for Kane before realising that it was just too good to give away. During the latter he also donned a Santa hat he is passed from the crowd and noted his surprise that it managed to fit his 'big head'. The song is followed by chants of 'Miles f***ing Kane' and he seemed to kick up an extra gear once the crowd got fully going.
Kane started his musical career as a guitarist in Wirral-band The Little Flames and while playing guitar on stage seems to be muscle memory for a lot of artists and often sees them going through the motions, he seems to really enjoy every lick and solo that he plays, contorting his body into all manner of stances in the process. That being said, he is a born frontman and several times through the set he'd lead the crowd on a sing-a-long and then just stand back and soak up the atmosphere, occasionally acting as a really cool conductor.
Third album track 'Coup De Grace' got one of the biggest reactions of the night and a couple of songs later, Kane brought out Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden. Earlier in the week, Kane had teased a new song on Twitter and on stage, he revealed that it was called 'Troubled Son', he had written the track with Ogden, and that he was really excited about it.
They performed it together and it was really well received, before the pair duetted on the stunning title track from debut album 'Colour of the Trap', to close the main set. Kane came back on moments later and got the sprung dance floor well and truly bouncing with 'Come Closer' and 'Don't Forget Who You Are'.
Both songs led to mosh pits and the final track had Kane leading the crowd on the biggest sing-a-long of the night as they belted the hook at him after the song had finished, as if they didn't want the night to end. Sadly it did, but if the reaction to his new material is anything to go by, there will be plenty more nights like this in Miles Kane's future.
Setlist
Merry Xmas Everybody
Rearrange
Don't Let It Get You Down
Change The Show
Give Up
Blame It On The Summertime
Aviation
Nothing's Ever Gonna Be Good Enough
Cry On My Guitar
Inhaler
Meeting Place
Coup De Grace
Standing Next To Me
Troubled Son (with Tom Ogden)
Colour Of The Trap (with Tom Ogden)
Encore
Come Closer
Don't Forget Who You Are
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
-
Famous Curry Mile restaurant closes down 'until further notice'
-
Inside Stockport's new games bar offering a hit of nostalgia
-
'I went for Christmas afternoon tea at Poppins and couldn't believe what I got for £20'
-
First look at Ewe: Restaurant and bar 'brings city centre to the suburbs' with £1m makeover
