The Jesus and Mary Chain @ O2 ABC, Glasgow, 23 Sep

The room is reasonably full, even with the early stage times, by the time The Van T's arrive – an ideal band to open for The Jesus and Mary Chain. With their sneery lyrics, freewheeling riffs and endearing hometown banter they hold the crowd's attention long enough to at least get them ready for the volume that is to follow.

The crowd belies its age as we near the arrival of the main players. Despite the show being sold out, there's still a good amount of room in the main standing area, with the raised portions that surround the middle proving to be the most coveted. Nevertheless, the response when the brothers Reid and co do arrive sends tremors around the venue – this is a classic, well loved band back on home turf and they know it.

Amputation opens the night, as it does their latest album, with stomp and swagger, basking in its feedback-tinged hard rock verve and making good use of the impressive lighting rig at the O2 ABC. The performance is generally workmanlike, with minimal chat for the majority (though Jim Reid warms up and starts offering a lot of heartfelt thanks towards the end), just burning through a solid mixture of the back catalogue, with only five tracks from Damage and Joy.

There's a bit of a mid-set lull, before favourites like Snakedriver, Darklands and Reverence arrive to herald the end of the main set. The audience is electric through the hissing, omnipresent feedback that remains through the break. A couple of choice Psychocandy cuts (Just Like Honey, and In a Hole) are the highlights of the first encore, before Sidewalking and I Hate Rock 'n' Roll take us to the close.

The performance is methodical, calculated, made to please – lacking the manic energy and spontaneity that may have once characterised a JAMC show, but when you and your audience are no longer twentysomething post-punks, maybe it's for the best.