TOWERS OF LONDON are more famous for the antics of frontman Donny Tourette than they are for their music. However, the hour set tonight was a mildly enjoyable blast of punk, indie rock. Unfortunately, image wise, the band now look like any other indie rock band, with the punk look I remembered from the 2006 Leeds festival replaced by smart leather jackets and cool t-shirts.

This band are never going to get a grammy for their music, but you can't help but enjoy the likes of 'Fuck It Up' and the excellent rocker 'Air Guitar'. It's just a shame 'I'm a Rat' was missing from the set – one of the band's best songs. Second album 'Fizzy Pop' was released earlier this month and like their image, the punk rock'n'roll has been dropped for a more commercial approach with sing-a-long choruses seemingly the dish of the day. I can't imagine this shift is going to please their fan base, but then they always did struggle to appeal to the hardcore punk fans.

Unless Donny Tourette gets up to anymore mischief, I can't see the appeal of TOWERS OF LONDON being here to stay – with the half full Sugarmill being testament to the band's stuttering career. A decent enough live band, but more substance is required for enough people to take TOWERS OF LONDON seriously.

TOWERS OF LONDON Setlist: 1984 / Avaline / Go Sister Go / Start The Rupt / Air Guitar / How Rude She Was / When She Comes / Bishops Gate / Anything You Want / The Bible / Time is Running Out / Fuck It Up / If It Don't Feel Good / Naked on the Dancefloor

TOWERS OF LONDON Rating: 2.5/5.0

Review by James Allman

Photography by Alexander Shaw