Eagulls / Autobhan @ Nice N Sleazy, 7 March

Performing in a half-empty basement venue in Glasgow on a Friday night could intimidate some raw bands from out of town, but Autobahn display no sign of nerves. The Leeds five-piece go all out for an in-yer-face style of post-punk noise, which they deliver with conviction on the intense single Seizure. While the band prefer to stare rigidly at the floor, singer Craig Johnson confidently strides the stage and demands attention.

In contrast, Eagulls frontman George Mitchell prefers to stand his ground; clutching a mic stand with his left hand, grasping a mic with the other and singing with his eyes clamped firmly shut. With his tall frame and slicked blonde hair, he’s an arresting presence, and by far the most captivating element of this Leeds four-piece, whose motorik beats and screaming guitars recall early Horrors, but with none of the pretensions.

Fresh from a trip to the US and an appearance on Letterman, plus a well-received hometown show the previous evening, the band look confident – but their reception in Glasgow is initially muted. A sizable crowd has assembled, but there’s little enthusiasm in the room until they launch Possessed, the song they unleased on North American screens in late January. “Not a very lively bunch are ya?” asks Mitchell, his disappointment obvious. But there’s life in this crowd yet, and Tough Luck – a siren call to disillusioned 20-somethings everywhere – provokes at least a dozen punters to start throwing themselves with reckless abandon. Job done, then.