Rolo Tomassi @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester

Having been away for a while recording a new album, Rolo Tomassi sprang back into the gig circuit playing a selection of smaller shows previewing their new songs.

With two support acts warming up the waiting crowd, the first were a shoe-gazing band who nobody caught the name of, and whose biggest cheer came when they announced they were leaving. The second, and much more interesting of the pair, Pocketknife, sounded like a Hole and Queens of the Stone Age mash up, stirring the crowd much more than their predecessors.

However, it was clear from the start that the crowd were only there to see the headliners. With new songs getting the same response of older ones such as “Fofteen” Rolo Tomassi’s fans at the gig didn’t stop the whole night.

The band themselves helped to whip the crowd into a frenzy; with brother and sister duo Eva and James Spence displaying their bull in a China shop dance moves and cries of “Come on! Where are all the crowd surfers!?”. Meanwhile, the Rolo guitarists Joe Nicholson and Joseph Thorpe climbed atop the bar and played a few songs in the pit.

Older songs such as “Cirque du Funk” kept the crowds adrenaline pumping and fringes flying. And in the jam packed 45-minute set the band didn’t falter. New song “Party Wounds” seemed an immediate crowd pleaser and looks set to stay in tact for future set lists.

With personal favourite “I Love Turbulence” as the encore the night ended on a high. Building up and up on synths, until guitars and drums come crashing in, it was obvious that this was the highlight of the night for many. As the band walked off stage after this amazing end the appreciation was immense.