The Vivians @ Bannermans

Who knew that Febreze would make a good metaphor (actually, it probably doesn't), but the welcome arrival of The Vivians guarantees the freshening up of many a stage on the Scottish circuit. This five-piece are as facetious as they come, and photogenic to boot (think Vivienne Westwood meets Salvador Dali). Shamelessly donning rock n' roll parody with pride, they've got the hair, now they want the groupies ("can we get all the sluts to the front please?")! You know mischief's afoot when their own personal Master of Ceremonies, with toe-curling smuttiness, exhorts the audience to prepare for "the eargasm of your lives." And so it begins. The music is tight - invoking the spirit of punk but distilling it through the ennui of these cynical times. Frontman, the deliciously unhinged Damon Deville, cavorts with the delivery and appearance of what might happen if Robert Smith banged up Karen O. And so, The Vivians administer cliché with a well-timed enema. Dandy? Most definitely. Probably Beano too. [Ruth Rettie]