Conflict Diamonds @ The Ark, 1 Nov

After an intentional false start, testing the Ark’s apparently tricky acoustics, it’s a flying start for Edinburgh duo Conflict Diamonds, who somewhat erroneously bill themselves as “Scotland’s only Texan disco rock duo”. Opening salvo Lothian Road, an ode to the capital’s Saturday night drinking throngs, suitably invokes images of The Knack being chased down dimly lit backstreets, an imminent ‘chibbing’ lying ahead. A newer song surfs in on the ping-pong vocals and goofball frivolities of Deus’ Fell Off The Floor Man, whilst the focused and rollicking chorus to Poor Mr. Chips proves to be the evening’s highlight. A rigid and dirty blues-rock stomp pervades, but the components of many songs are given enough elasticity to stalk some welcome signature-changes, before snapping back into a familiar and satisfying whole. No unnecessary ad-hoc wankery for these chaps. Definitely an, ahem, Conflict of interest here. [Darren Carle]