Los Campesinos!

Growth is an odd thing. You go to see a distant nephew after a few years and he’s suddenly turned from a little boy into a hulk of a man. You go to a school reunion and everyone has swelled, gone bald and got bitter.

It’s with the benefit of these gaps in time that you can appreciate big changes. The last time Los Campesinos! played live it was with Danielson in Manchester in November. Members of Team Campesinos! are seen spotted around the tiny low-ceilinged surrounding of the Louisiana’s upstairs gig room fiddling nervously, and guitarist Neil admits that he’s “shitting himself”.

There’s really no need though. After signing to Wichita after just a few more gigs than the band has members, Los Camp! have been to the (musical) gym and bulked out, using this fallow period of doing exams and dissertations to shift their live presentation up several gears. Which is nice.

They look more confident, more relaxed and more ready to, well, have the time of their lives. Between songs the various Campesino (Campesini?) look at each and laugh wide-eyed at the fact that they have a room of sweaty south-westerners giddy from listening to their treacle-soaked pop. But it's no surprise to anyone's who's been following their fortunes since their MySpace-inspired break-out last summer.

And, as the Campesinos!-branded balloons bounce round the room (you know they’ve made it now) you can’t do much but smile.

As Gareth Campesinos! stares intently over the crowd and to the back of the room, old stagers like ‘Death To Los Campesinos!’ sound meatier than ever, and new, world premiered tracks like ‘Drop It Doe Eyes’ and ‘…And We Exhale And Roll Our Eyes in Unison’ hold the heart of previous material.

‘Doe Eyes’ allows Aleks to move from the side of the stage, where she and violinist Harriet frame Ellen and the LC! boys. It’s another great track, even in the swampy surroundings of the cramped Louisiana floor. Next year’s album can’t come soon enough.

Gareth, hair running like sweat all over his face, explains that ‘Knee-deep At ATP’ is LC!’s token balled, “The plan is to do the album, release three or four singles and then release this as a ballad for Jo Whiley,” he giggles to the crowd. A fair chunk of which seems to be friends from Cardiff, seeing off Los Camp! on to their merry journey in the big world of Pop. And a fair chunk of that crowd, (including members of support act Little My and Twisted By Design impresario Gary Anderson) join Gareth and Co. on stage for a chaotic rendition of ‘You! Me! Dancing!’

Amongst guitar leads being pulled out, strings being broken and the stage being fuller than the 8.15 Warrington-to-Manchester train, it’s so joyfully clear that this is one of the best songs of the last five years (at least). There are people singing along already and if it isn't a top-ten shout-along at festivals indie mega-hit by next summer you should eat Tom Campesinos!’s hat.

This is a special gig, the indie-pop equivalent of seeing off the troops to war. There are parents and proud relatives a-plenty, hugs exchanged between band and crowd and a lot of love in the air. They’re ready, you feel. And the world’s waiting. Adios Campesinos! Don’t forget us.

Los Campesinos! Played:

‘The International Tweexcore Underground’