Youthmovies @ Sneaky Pete's, 21 Nov

Sneaky Pete’s intimate cove must feel like a home away from home for Youthmovies. Sprawled out across both stage and floor, the Oxford quintet’s rampaging blur of cranked up 'math-pop' bulges through the rafters of this rustic art-deco haunt. Taut, signature-strewn numbers like Ores and If You’d Seen A Battle frazzle the senses, both top heavy with pummelling drums and a wiry mesh of guitar executed by the hyperactive frames of Andrew Mears and Al English. However, amidst the metallic throbs and parping brass lies a gluttonous over-indulgence that transforms Magic Diamond’s multifaceted blow into a disjointed cut of beard-stroking arrogance. Redemption is found in the exhilarating finale of Lets Get Going and the lunatic Honey Slides - gloriously resurrecting a flagging set, invigorating the crowd in a tizz of flailing limbs. Having expertly snatched a last-minute victory, Youthmovies prove that there’s no place like home - even if, y'know, it's not. [Billy Hamilton]