CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE SHOW HERE.

If one of the signs of a great gig is feeling compelled to buy a band T-shirt you know you’re never going to wear again, then I can safely say the Youth Group and theredsunband show was a winner.

The tour is a co-headlining affair, with the theredsunband taking the support slot on this particular night. Their distinctive distorted, heavy guitars and Sarah Kelly’s dreamy vocals were a sonic pleasure this evening, with the sometimes chatty Annandale crowd hushed into submission.

Youth Group’s set consisted mostly of songs from their latest album, The Night is Ours, with highlights including One for Another and the radio-friendly Two Sides. Chart-topper Forever Young didn’t make an appearance and, unlike shows from a year or two ago, the crowd didn’t seem to care. Youth Group have successfully moved on! Toby Martin’s vocals were typically strong, and the four core members were joined on stage by a keyboardist to round out the sound. They were professional and exciting, even inspiring spontaneous dance action among some members of the audience.

Some of the more memorable moments came in the encore, where the eight members of the bands joined forces for a few songs including a rendition of the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Sometimes Always, with Toby and Sarah sharing vocal duties. They finished off the show with Youth Group’s Shadowlands, much to the delight of a number of punters in the audience who had been yelling out for the song all night.

So, the T-shirt may be an oddly cut, made-in-China, bright orange number, but damn – Youth Group rock out. I needed a memento.