Temples, O2 Institute 2, Birmingham - review

First up was a short set from the strange and curious Creatures, a London-based five-piece fronted by a crooning lead singer with wide eyes and an ill-fitting suit. It was as if Adam Sandler's The Wedding Singer had teamed up with Captain Beefheart's Magic Band to perform twisted country and rock 'n' roll in a Twin Peaks bar. Odd and intriguing, they left me wanting to know and hear more, which is exactly what a good support band should do.

Then the triumphant return of Temples, the band who lit up 2014 with their debut album Sun Structures and should do something similar with their more baroque new album Volcano. The band take a pinch of Bowie and Bolan, spoonfuls of Roxy Music and Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, and with the new songs add a big melodic dollop of ELO to the mix. More than the sum of their influences, their songs now have a recognisable Temples flavour.

The album has only been out a few weeks but already the Kinks-ish Roman God-Like Man is being greeted by the fans like one of the older favourites, such as Colours To Life, Keep In The Dark and Move With The Season. New songs I Want To Be Your Mirror and the dramatic How Would You Like To Go were also highlights.

Lead singer and guitarist James Bagshaw is every inch the rock star with his mop of curly hair, chiseled features and fringed leather jacket, whilst the band exhibit a harder, rockier edge live. Drummer Sam Toms was wearing a Hawkwind T-shirt and a clear link to the hippy space rock pioneers was demonstrated by the hard riffing extensions to several songs, including an epic version of the gorgeous Mesmerise.

The band ended with another new song, the addictive catchy Strange Or Be Forgotten, before returning to end their 80-minute set with the encores A Question Isn't Answered and their breakthrough track, the modern psychedelic pop classic Shelter Song.