Nizlopi @ Cabaret Voltaire

Pop fans of a certain vintage will have fond memories of Nizlopi. In 2004, the plucky indie upstarts stormed to the top of the UK charts with the surprise hit, 'JCB Song'. For a while it even looked like they would steal the inexplicably important Christmas number one before having it snatched away by the banal behemoth, Shane Ward. Y'know, X-Factor winner. No?

Four years later and two-piece, Luke Concannon and John Parker (double-bassist, human beatbox and Ed Byrne lookalike extraordinaire) are on tour promoting their third album. In the intervening years, Nizlopi have cultivated a reputation as one of Britain's hardest working live acts and Cabaret Voltaire is seemingly playing host to the Scottish branch of the fan club.

It's not hard to see where this loyalty comes from: this is not a band that do things by half measures.

Standing, facing the stage and packed in like a sardine, I am shunted forward several paces along with the front four rows. As thirty people turn around to collectively remonstrate those behind them, Nizlopi have set up in the middle of the audience, with double-bass and accoustic guitar, and begin playing.

This intimacy is carried on throughout the set, which jumps back and forth from stage to dance-floor more than once. The seeming lack of a barrier between band and crowd gives the gig the feeling of a fire side strum-a-long and the gentle, folk-inspired rock is perfectly suited to the mood.

Unfortunately, Nizlopi are such a minimalist band that there is no real diversity in the gig and as a result the 70-minute set feels 30 minutes too long. As with all camp-fire sing-a-longs, the enthusiastic strumming is entertaining for the first few songs – but after half an hour the only real sensation you feel is boredom.