The Needles @ The Bongo Club

Unfashionably early on stage due to one band member's nightshift commitments in Glasgow, The Needles rush through a blistering barrage of surgically precise, sublimely crafted punk-pop songs that at times recall Supergrass or The Hives but are downright superb in their own right. Although they've been hovering on the edge of the Scottish scene for several years now, The Needles deserve the wider exposure new single Diane could afford them, given the strength of tonight's live performance at least. All four Needles are born entertainers, but it's diminutive lead-man Dave Dixon who is the most watchable, gliding around the stage like an excitable amateur disco-dancer, while effortlessly strumming up fast, intricate power-punk guitarwork, and ensuring The Needles remain one of the most exciting bands around. [Nick Mitchell]