Having spent about 20 plus minutes setting up, Firekites kicked off with the wordless New Year Has Spoken and Worn Weary from last years phenomenally textured Bowery release. With the start akin to that feeling you receive when you slip into a hot bath and your naked loins fully kiss the liquid heat for the first time; it’s fair to say that the band had me at – œhello’.

Firekites move on Last Ships as the follow up tune, and then the instrumental delights of Paris, albeit with a few minor technical jerks that added that imperfect touch to the performance. Tim McPhee and Rod Smith bounce around according to the tempo shifts as they finger pluck – œduel off’ one another on acoustic guitars, wringing every inch of beauty out of this free form musical piece de résistance.

McPhee admits to having to borrow some instruments from the previous bands due to some travel issues, before introducing Firekites’ latest drummer whose indie jazz style suited the lo-fi art rock delivery of these sublimely talented Newcastle tweakers.

Pegs Adams and Jason Tampake took the corners on their respective keyboard/percussive/vocal and violin/bass/handclaps/backing vocals duties to showcase the strength of the band as a dynamic collective. Throw in some new tracks that featured the aforementioned bass-clad Jason Tampake and a somewhat harder edged electronic pop jazz feel, complete with an array of hand claps, melodies and harmonies and we’re in business tonight.

Adams introduces Mirror Miracle with McPhee switching to the electric guitar as he wigs out with a little scratchy white noise. A hand claps intro from Tampake gets Another State moving along to awaken a rather restless, talkative John Curtin throng up the back who were hearing Firekites as a backdrop to their own earth-shatteringly important conversations.

As Rod Smith moves to bass, Tampake heads to the keys. With McPhee alternating between acoustic and electric strings, Adams takes the lead vocal to deliver By Night with its smoky syncopated beats, before a reserved McPhee and band exit the stage some 60 minutes after first gracing us with their ethereal presence.