Shabby Rogue @ The Spice Of Life, London

Deep in the belly of Soho, unwashed and somewhat slightly hairy indie-rockers Shabby Rogue are sounding the alarm on their second album.

Largely an underground tremor until now, this new record has captured the group some airplay from Artrocker Radio and 6Music - and judging by the hundred or so drooling punters flitering into tonight's venue, it seems that they're finally surfing a long-deserved wave of success.

Two years ago, the Rogue looked like booze-addled pirates. Tonight, they seem not just healthy, but stealthy too: 'My Life As A Secret Agent' is a punk rock 007 theme, and tonight it feels as thrilling as Magazine's 'Shot By Both Sides'.

Elsewhere, the new album's title track 'By Hook Or By Crook' makes for a pleasingly gung-ho slacker anthem, while 'Juliet' is a ravishingly romantic pop song - assuming your idea of romance is having a bottle of wine smashed over your head.

What's truly ace about the Rogue tonight isn't just the new songs, but the fact they've gone up a gear with their performance: each song tops the next, some unpredictably bursting into drum 'n bass, some dropping to their knees to confess. It's all timed like a fireworks display for the biggest possible 'Ooo!' from the audience.