Craig David, Bloc Party

With a shining, strong and much sought after line-up playing at Electric Ballroom, it is no wonder that MTV Brand New’s Emporio Armani Diamonds night goes under the ‘Diamond’ moniker.

With queues extending all the way up Camden High Street, word has got out despite the limited promotional coverage for the two day event.

Support acts for both nights are impressive. Annie Marie opens up the proceedings and is clearly in her element. The self-styled Instagram ‘Ninja Chav’ sparkles with glitter as she delivers danceable R&B-tinged tunes perfectly crafted for fans of Katy B.

Nimmo on day two delivers a different vibe. Taking the stage like some MS MR/Years and Years hybrid – their electro pop and reverb croon getting the crowd dancing. Rat Boy, the soup de jour of many a recent festival circuit, have a chaotic punky edge about them but cannot live up to the magic haze Nimmo have induced.

But on to the main course.

In the blue corner we have seasoned veteran of the early 00s garage scheme. A man who managed to survive public ridicule at the hands of Channel 4 parody and recently obtained a new major record deal. His name ladies and gentlemen – Craig David.

In the red corner – an acclaimed indie band of the mid-00s who have seared their sound into the popular consciousness of music lovers everywhere. From the riffy and jangly bliss of Silent Alarm, through the evolution of their sound (and band membership) – the great Bloc Party.

David has a strong start. Like a resurgent phoenix from the flames of pop obscurity he has been reborn. Controlling his notes as if he has an inbuilt vocoder, his live performance sounds just like the record. But this is not his only talent. His live collaboration with the rapper Big Narstie demonstrates that he can also spit bars with the perfection of a seasoned professional.

However, Bloc Party are not your average post-punk pugilists either. Kele Okerwere, still pumped from side-projects, delivers hits such as the unforgettable Banquet, the off-piste Mercury and the paranoia pop of Hunting for Witches. The three of these songs duly send plastic pints of lager flying into the air.

So how do the headliners compare? Unexpectedly, David emerges as the winner.

While he does play it safer (some of his song choices as a DJ wouldn’t be out of place in a middle England student union!), he is more than just a demagogue of the garage revival. David’s new output feels more fresh. His alignment to the audience is something Bloc Party, with their recent release, Virtue, fail to match.

Comparisons aside, MTV’S Brand New event may ironically celebrate older acts but it also charts their evolution and continued ability to keep up with the new kids on the block. As the saying goes – “there is still life in the old dog yet”.