THE Bluetones, for some time one of the bigger names of the Britpop era and still keeping themselves busy on the circuit, made a welcome return to York to playout a super set at Fibbers.

As usual with the West London quartet, it was a feel-good evening full of jingly-jangly, melodic indie pop tunes with the occasional burst of guitar oomph.

Mark Morriss’s voice was top-notch and the band as tight as one would imagine when they have been playing these songs for a good few years. A consummate frontman, Morriss also engaged well with his audience in between songs – and continued to do so later in the night when playing a DJ set at the packed afterparty show at the nearby Corner Pin pub.

It’s 23 years since The Bluetones’ brilliant debut album, Expecting To Fly, came out and it was the tracks off this chart-topper, such as the classics Cut Some Rug and Slight Return, that were most fervently received by the happy crowd.

The same can be said of those off the follow-up, slightly heavier, album Return To The Last Chance Saloon, with the singalong If being arguably the highlight of a top-quality night.

Up-and-coming York band Skylights, meanwhile, played an excellent support slot, with their obvious Oasis/Verve/punk/football influences augmenting some agreeable indie melodies and riffs.

Peter Martini