The Horrors, O2 Academy 2, Birmingham - review with pictures

Warming the crowd up first were Sheffield psychedelic gloom band Baba Naga, taking to the stage in a billow of smoke with green and red lights illuminating them.

Unfortunately, their skin-peelingly heaving bass lines and guitar riffs combined with spine-tingling sound effects didn't connect with the steadily filling room - maybe due to the lack of vocals within their music or non-existent crowd interaction that didn't command the audience's attention.

Despite this, each track blended effortlessly into the next creating an intriguing and unique sound for all those that were interested to observe. It may not have been to everyone's taste, but the outfit they put on show sounded polished and tight from start to finish.

Without any lengthy introduction and steady build-up - The Horrors stormed onto the stage through even thicker smoke and eerie purple back-lighting that cast their silhouettes to the crowd.

Still in uniform black skinny jeans, tight jackets and back-combed hair do's - the Southend-on-Sea quintet still embodied the raw, off-kilter, bold music they had become known for.

Unfortunately, this glimpse of them was only brief as the back-lighting and excessive smoke meant that most of the band became instantly invisible to the crowd, with only the silhouette of vocalist Faris Badwan easily visible.

What glimmers the crowd did catch of the band, revealed a static stage show of simple swaying from either side, gripping microphone stands and the occasional head bang. Although theatrics don't make a great show, the lack of stage presence did make it hard for them to grasp the audience's attention.

All that was left to catch the audience's attention was their music - and thankfully, it did.

Their impressive setlist spanned their entire career - beginning with the 80s-tinged Hologram through to gritty Machine, on to fan-favourites Mirror's Image as well as In and Out of Sight.

"Thank you for having us back Birmingham" Faris bellowed to a roaring crowd, before the stage was bathed in blue for a rousing rendition of Sea Within a Sea.

Faris' vocals were crisp and clean through haunting guitar riffs, booming basslines, ear-piercing synth interludes and rolling drum beats that had the majority of the crowd swaying from start to finish.

Culminating their set with hit single Still Life - The Horrors were cheered back onto the stage for their encore.

Easily the highlight of their set, the band stormed into Ghost and Something to Remember Me By oozing all of the passion that has made the band so successful.

A hit and miss show, the Horrors still managed to impress despite a lacklustre stage presence. Their crisp and clean music was an instant crowd-pleaser, and mad up for a cloudy show.