FIVE of the most unlikely rock stars took to the stage to muted applause.

Oct 1 2009 by Paul Suart, Birmingham Mail

The reaction when they left it 50-odd minutes later was certainly a lot more appreciative.

Their embarrassed, edgy and paranoid appearance as a collective fits the stories of awkward sexual encounters and failed relationships which shape their songs. None more so than on Autumn, infectious first single Evening/Morning and What If.

At this stage of their burgeoning career BBC don’t yet have a bottomless back catalogue so the vast majority of debut album I Had the Blues... was explored though Ghost was a mysterious omission.

Whatever they lacked in experience was compensated by a polished version of their only minor commercial success, Always Like This.

Cancel On Me followed before an incendiary The Hill brought proceedings to a bombastic end.

VERDICT: HHHHI