THE Pigeon Detectives hail from Rothwell in Leeds and, for a five-piece band, they make one hell of a sound.

Plenty of fans piled in to the Academy to see if the gang of Northerners could pull it off live. The band stormed onstage in a flurry of smoke and light like they owned the place, their mischievous attitude impressing the crowd.

The set kicked off in a riproaring, gloriously catchy, typical indie pop fashion. One of their best and most popular songs, I Found Out, was a confident opener to the show and the crowd sang back all the lyrics.

It was not long before lead singer Matt Bowman engaged in cocky banter with the crowd, ordering them to dance like there’s no tomorrow, and the fans did exactly that.

Next, the Pigeons flew into Everybody Wants Me, the crowd’s favourite. Suddenly there was a sea of waving hands and dancing bodies; the band could do no wrong. The sound was full, the energy high and Bowman worked both the stage and the audience with the kind of arrogant swagger only a rock star can get away with.

Encore, I’m Not Sorry, was without doubt the best song of the night. It’s a lust-filled, bouncy track, fuelled by bad behaviour, nights out and chasing girls.

The Pigeon Detectives undoubtedly have an edgy Northern charm about them and there’s no denying they’re a rollercoaster of lyrical wit.

Sophie Stratford