Glassjaw @ O2 ABC2, 25 August

Two Scottish gigs in 18 months is swift work by the measure of Glassjaw's previous form. The New York quartet came close to kicking the plug out completely when frontman Daryl Palumbo’s debilitating Crohn’s disease continually derailed their touring plans in the first few years of the new millennium, yet here they are again tonight; with Palumbo on a healthier stride, it’s a thrill to see them on fiery form.

Announcing themselves with the violent waltz of You Think You're (John Fucking Lennon), it’s obvious that time has brought focus and maturity to their formerly ramshackle live show. As they roll out the obscurities (see Stars, Convectuoso and All Good Junkies Go To Heaven) as often as the big hitters, Durijah Lang and Manuel Carrero's dubby rhythm section is a rigid backbone, excelling early on with the steamroller opening combo from 2002's ferocious Worship & Tribute. Palumbo – pacing the stage in a weathered Zappa t-shirt – slides out of the way so they can shine, motioning an open fist towards Lang’s crash cymbal as though lobbing a grenade for the breakdown to Mu Empire.

Ignoring goofy pleas from the crowd for Freebird and Bah Bah Blacksheep, the precise execution of Two Tabs Of Mescaline is a testament to a newfound ability to harness (rather than solely rely on) the mayhem that made them famous – alternately angry and melodic in all the right places. Showing a glimpse of what they can offer beyond nostalgia in 2011, a hypnotic, dub-inflected three song encore from their recent Coloring Book EP confirms that Glassjaw is far from a spent force. “Oasis is talking about living forever; I'll talk about going to fucking bed,” Palumbo says before departing. Let’s hope they don’t oversleep.