No Age / Male Bonding @ Stereo, 9 Oct

For Glasgow fans of Sub Pop Records, tonight was a brutally hard choice. With Mudhoney also playing down the road at The Arches, a crucial decision needed to be made; old guard or new blood? Judging by the size of the crowd at Stereo, many have opted for the latter and are rewarded with a gig of staggering contrasts.

Male Bonding's back-breaking tour schedule would be enough to finish off many other bands, but tonight it has proven to be the making of them. Opener Crooked Scene thunders out with blistering precision, the bratty punk melody shining brightly through the breakneck pace. This continues unabated with T.U.F.F. and Pumpkin, all hitting their targets perfectly. Finishing their set with a searing rendition of the fantastic Year's Not Long, Male Bonding leave the stage triumphant.

No Age can bring the noise-punk when they feel so inclined, previous Glasgow shows have been rawkus, ear-splitting affairs that have transcended the unfortunate temperance of their records, but tonight the cylinders just aren't firing. Opener Life Prowler sounds almost apologetically polite and throughout No Age sound flat and monotone when they should have grabbed the crowd by the neck. It leaves songs like recent single Glitter exposed as what they really are; ineffectual slacker-pop strum-alongs with no tension, build or suspense.

Ending with an overdriven version of Boy Void is too little too late, tonight Male Bonding brought the party to Glasgow but No Age stayed in the kitchen. [John Keys]