Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Planet Parade are three very serious looking young men. So serious, in fact, that's a surprise when they start playing sweetly melodic calypso indie pop. It's instantly likable in a sunny weather meets Vampire Weekend meets The Maccabees kind of way, and flurries of almost-dancing can be seen throughout the crowd. Encouraged by the slight forward movement of the audience, the singer finds his stride and jerkily implores us by singing with all his effort, not averse to the occasional controlled yelp. It's not as light hearted as it first appears, with the ominous reggae bassline providing a hint of danger reminiscent of The Police and The Clash. The whole thing is maturely executed and it's apparent why they've been chosen by Bell X1 to support them on their forthcoming European tour, the only false note being their choice of band name.

Starting off with the minimalist bleeps of 'Anna Lena', the stage is bathed in blue light, making the performance seem rather cold and impersonal. Life doesn't seep in until the slow build of the synths bring a warm glow from the outside of the songs to the inside. Bell X1's new album Bloodless Coup begins sparsely, gradually moving into safer territory, and so does their live performance, the familiar melodies and humour gradually being introduced song by song. 'Bad Skin Day' is played almost completely acoustically, giving it a 'stream of consciousness' feel, a whispered insecure inner dialogue that we can feel being created before us although we know it's an old favourite.

Paul Noonan's stage presence verges on mesmerizing,Γ―ΒΏΒ½minute hand movements and shoulder shrugs adding nuances to songs that all tell a story. He can't deny his David Byrne-esque movements and songwriting style in 'Flock', and doesn't try to, singing instantly recognisable snippets from Talking Heads' 'Once In A Lifetime' during instrumental breaks in his other songs. A drumkit stands helpfully near him allowing him to exercise his more forceful twitches on it. Unlike most singers who gingerly tap the drums occasionally to spice up their live performance, Noonan genuinely seems to enjoy the added challenge and plays with the enthusiasm of a small child.

They mix things up a little, with lead vocals on new track 'Built To Last' being sung by David Geraghty, and although he has an unexpectedly soulful voice, it's one of the weaker songs, a filler that builds and builds but never gets to its destination. Their determination to mix things up, while noble, leads to a rocky inconsistency in the setlist. 'The Great Defector' gets the audience joyfully dancing and expecting this pace to be kept up, which it simply isn't. Noonan promises to "bring the party buzz" - and does - with 'Flame' - but the hits are spaced too far apart, losing momentum. An encore of four slower, more introspective hits gives a chance for an emotional singalong, but the promised party has elusively slipped out of reach.

Elizabeth McGeown