Sports Team have become a band known for their energetic, lively performances, elevating their recognisably bouncy music to a new level when they take to the stage, thanks not least to charismatic frontman Alex Rice. With this in mind, there are high expectations going into the evening.

Openers Welly come out to an almost empty room, but they nevertheless succeed in filling it with their own crazed energy, playing with such enthusiasm you could almost imagine they were the headliners themselves.

Next on the bill is a more mellow offering from Mary In The Junkyard, a three-piece who create an incredibly rich, fleshed-out sound that swells and shifts throughout their set.

By this point, the crowd is brimming with anticipation, itching for Sports Team to take to the stage and unleash themselves upon them. Their set is a varied one, featuring songs from their upcoming record Boys These Days, their two studio albums, and even earlier material. In the time since their earliest releases, Sports Team have developed a reputation for being a band who give everything to their live shows, and with that has come a dedicated fan base.

Although the band seem to take a little while to hit their stride tonight, particularly lead singer Alex, they are encouraged along by a crowd who are bouncing off one another from the very start. By the end of the evening, the band are firing on all cylinders and feel very much like a band who should be playing far larger stages.

Article: Elliot Hetherton