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The Wombats were clearly playing at the right venue on Friday night with a gig at The Magnet, attracting a crowd that filled up the dimly lit basement from floor to ceiling.
It’s no wonder several of the awestruck fans ended up on stage with the band – even if it did mean getting thrown off by skinny (but obviously stronger than he looks) groupie.
After a supporting act that clearly warmed the fans up, it was only minutes before the first crowd surf, three spilt pints, two near head butts and one hour, that the Liverpool trio finally arrived on stage looking electrically scruffy as ever.
Having not played in Liverpool since 2011 it was as if the band had never left.
At home on the stage, band members Matthew ‘Murph’ Murphy, Dan Higgins and Tord Overland were clearly joyful to be back in the city that made them.
With an overly enthusiastic crowd, the band played a set worthy of an arena. Just as well really as this ‘secret’ fan show is just a warm up before their UK tour – in which they’ll be back in Liverpool come April.
No doubt any first time Wombat listeners’ that survived the boisterous crowd will be booking their tickets.
Murph’s powerful vocals belted out old classics that sounded as fresh and as quirky as they did when first released, and new material was played into the intimate space, delighting the crowd with a chance to dance, jump, wave and in general go crazy for them.
Proving themselves as more than just old hats, the band played material such as new single ‘Greek Tragedy’ as well as unreleased songs from an album that Murph revealed would be ‘out sometime this year’.
Finishing their seventy five minute set with biggest hit ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’, the not even ruffled (well, no more than usual) Liverpool lads danced as recklessly as the crowds as they’re set ended.
Liverpool was blatantly very happy to have the band back.