The Retro Spankees

The Retro Spankees are something of an odd animal. Mixing quirky sensibilities with a pop flavour, they enthusiastically romp through two-minute pop songs about the joys of Countdown and being an ant. Unfortunately, the venue's sound does them no favours, with the synth dominating proceedings every time it's added to the mix. The band battle through valiantly, managing to win over some new friends on the night with their high-pitched vocals and kooky onstage banter.

Rock and roll, they say, comes in many shapes and sizes. The Lusts are no exception to that rule, as they attempt their own take on garage rock. Frontman Steve looks like a mix of Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe and Ralf Little from Two Pints Of Larger and a Packet of Crisps. Unfortunately, he has the charisma of neither and the band's initial swagger has no good music to back it up. At one point you can compare the band to watching a train wreck: you know it's horrible and manic, but you just can’t look away. The head in hands moment comes again when you realise members of the band are having to look at what chords each other are playing to make sure they're playing the same song. The final embarrassment comes when invited friends come onstage and play tambourine with the set finishing in one big, out-of-time mess. This band clearly take pride in being poor musicians, but it means misery for anyone who can tap in time.

At this point I'm wondering whether making the trip out has been worth it at all - I could have stayed in, with a mug of hot chocolate and My Name Is Earl on DVD, and not spent time trying to work out which members of what bands to praise for being in time. All my fears are put aside, however, when The Victorian English Gentlemens Club come onstage looking like they mean business. Emma Daman stands on top of her kit dressed in a delightful sparkling dress, which instantly lifts the spirits. The band's definitely the tightest of the night, having little trouble rolling from song to song. The sound may have the grubby feel of Mclusky, but it is important not to take that as too much of a negative and more as homage to their former Welsh counterparts. Playing songs from their recently released self-titled debut album, the band storm through songs such as 'Ban The Gin' and 'Under The Yews', but the highlight of the set arrives with the combination of 'My Son Spells Backwards' and 'Impossible Sightings Over Shelton', each after the other.

Like a two-punch finish, the gig's over, leaving the people of Leicester to wonder what exactly they've witnessed as they hit the cool night.