While the Futureheads won me over with the angular guitar work, frenetic pop songwriting and impeccable vocal harmonies of their debut it wasn’t until I caught the band live that I pegged what made them so endearing. Between the pompous, ironic rock of Louis XVI and the overblown light show that was Hot Hot Heat, the unassuming Sunderland four-piece won the evening on skill alone. The Futureheads flawlessly delivered on the harmonic vocals of their studio work, nailing the energy with a punky live tempo and relying on absolutely zero gimmicks. [more]