White Lies @ King Tut's, 3 Oct

They may say that the clothes maketh the man. but ‘they’ aren’t clear on whether women, or indeed bands, are similarly made by their clobber. A sartorial glance at guitarist/singer Ritzy of tonight’s support The Joy Formidable (****), however, is revealing: she wears an old fashioned monochrome frock of the kind beloved by fey indie types, partially concealing an impressive shoulder tattoo, and plays indie-rock with an adventurous edge. They’re Mates of State with added guitar solos and here to outshine tonight's headliners.

White Lies (***) initially pale by comparison. Their predictably zeitgeist 80s synth sound, coupled with the dizzying buzz generated since their first gig eight months ago, sets the stage for a potential emperor’s new clothes charade. Luckily first impressions aren’t binding: when they reel out first single Unfinished Business early on, a sold out Tut's sings back with gusto. Elsewhere, the deceptively named set closer Death is ready to echo across festival fields come next summer. Occasionally the London trio's influences seem not so much borrowed as smuggled directly from 1986 - see 50 On Our Foreheads’ U2 flavour, or the doom, gloom and Depeche Mode-isms of EST’s "In my dreams I’m dead" lyrical navel-gazing. Otherwise, tonight's efforts impress enough to show and prove that they're certainly not standing in the buff. [Chris Buckle]