Humanzi

Not since the punk wars of 1977 has such a cursive explosion of spittle drenched, sweat encrusted grit as Louie opened fire and launched its salvo on an unsuspecting public. Looking like they've been dragged through the back doors of every Manchester charity shop - which they probably have - it's all seventies style anoraks and Admiral v-neck t-shirts in Louie's world. And not forgetting the fact that none of their songs last any longer than two-and-a-half minutes, so its not possible to get bored. Duel vocalists Gaz Tomlinson and Jordan Smith swap insults, saliva and tongues over the likes of staying out all night anthem 'The Curves And The Bends'. With a feverish rush of excitement to match the tunes, give them six months and they will surely be headlining in venues like this.

Which is quite possibly where Humanzi already see themselves as heading, despite only having been around for a few brief months. Unfortunately, what they possess in effort and determination, particularly pint-sized bassist Gary Lonergan, whose incessant pogoing causes even the most observant security staff to check if the floorboards have been replaced by an aerobics trampoline, they appear to lack in the songs department. Their Stones-meets-Supergrass riffs sound tired and lumpen and raise little more than the odd hand clapping, although in their favour, anyone would have difficulty winning over a crowd as partisan as that of The Libertines...

...which is essentially what 3/4 of Dirty Pretty Things are plus the addition of ex-Cooper Temple Clause bassist Didz Hammond. When Carl Barat and his fellow cohorts bound onstage in matching leather jackets and greasy, unkempt barnets, it looks like nothing has changed. The opening bars of 'Dead Wood' however provide a glimmer of optimism. Its all punk rock riffs and terrace-style aggression that sounds like it would have been a welcome addition to 'Up The Bracket' many years ago and increases the anticipation levels for the rest of the set by a skyscraper length mile. Predictably, this is as good as things get...

Not that Dirty Pretty Things are a bad band, technically any way. The likes of 'You Fucking Love It' and 'Doctors And Dealers' both recall The Clash in their utmost speed-fuelled pomp. But then again, so did The Libertines. And thats part of the problem. It soon becomes apparent that Dirty Pretty Things are essentially what the second Libertines album would have sounded like sans Doherty. If anything, it also reinfoces the growing belief that if Doherty and Babyshambles wrote all the best songs without the musical competence to actually play them, then Barat and Dirty Pretty Things are like a highly skilled bunch of session musicians rekindling their rock and roll fantasies.

It probably says more for the whole evening's entertainment that the biggest cheer and scenes of hysteria are reserved for blasts from the past 'Death On The Stairs' and 'I Get Along', both of which sound meatier and more accomplished than at any point during Barat's previous incarnation to be fair.

So as far as Dirty Pretty Things are concerned, the jury's still out, and will no doubt re-adjourn in May when the band play an already sold out tour of even bigger venues. But the burning querstion is, how long can they keep relying on past glories before actually having to stand alone on their own creations?