A gig by The Twang is a great place to stock up on expletives: front man Phil Etheridge starts proceedings with the declaration, “we’re going to fucking sing, Edinburgh! FACT.” Unfortunately, the songs in question aren't up to much.

The Twang are a five-piece group from Birmingham who attempt to combine the bravado of 90s lad rock with the urban poetry of contemporary artists like The Streets. Their debut album Love It When I Feel Like This, made a few waves last year and this sold-out gig comes at the end of their current UK tour.

The Twang do generic, thumping sing-a-longs which concentrate on themes of love and city social life. Their well-grounded anthems are built though a mixture of boisterous drumming, cleverly engineered guitar parts infused with ringing sensuality, the swaggering rhythms of The Stone Roses, and fast-paced spoken-word verses that build up to simple yet emphatic choruses. Although The Twang are deservedly notorious for their enthusiasm, the Potterow crowd certainly help by giving their all: chanting, cheering and offering various articles of underwear up to the musical cause.

However, enthusiasm can only carry a performance so far before the music behind it is exposed for what it is. The Twang are nothing new and at the lowest points of the gig, there is a sense that even the most hedonistic of atmospheres can’t make up for the essential mediocrity of the songs. Apart from the occasional affecting guitar line or collective crescendo, there is little to mark this music out as anything beyond a forgettable—and resolutely laddish—re-hash of its dominant musical sources.

The highlight of the gig is, ironically, the support band, The Hours. This engaging outfit play beautifully crafted songs which have depth and maturity, musical ingenuity, and emotional resonance. The Hours can really get behind their instruments and make them work in the service of something classic but distinctive.

The difference between the two bands is itself like an unwritten musical criticism.