Glasvegas @ Heaven, London

From the last minute rushing around to secure my press pass to the slightly worrying “propositioning” I was getting from a hulking American gentleman in the next to venue bar, I hoped that tonight's Glasvegas gig would be something special to help paper over the cracks of a strange evening indeed.

At this time I only own their debut album, but tonight's show is really about pushing the new material and presenting the new mark 0.2 version of the group. Gone are the leather jackets and guitars from front man James Allen, who now is trying to reinvent himself as proper frontman, as opposed to a guitarist who sings.

He manages to do this with some success - although the new make over, complete with white vest and fairy light entwined microphone stand, is a little misguided. But this is a review of the gig rather than a Gok Wan clothing special, so onto the music we go.

After coming onstage to Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ (a piece that was previously used on their own song ‘Stabbed’) the band kick straight into new song ‘The World Is Yours’. The new material is more dance like and electro-influenced, while some of it is so ambient it'd make even Brian Eno beg for a cowbell.

A highlight of the set is a cover of The Ronettes' classic ‘Be My Baby’ (performed in the slower John Lennon arrangement rather than the roaring wall of sound original.) This is a smart move, joining the old and new songs in style-terms.

The crowd tonight were there for a good time and got one, singing every word at the top of their lungs. Clearly, Glasvegas have a large and loyal following, and I await with open ears the arrival of the new album Euphoric///Heartbreak\\\ on 4 April.