Slow Readers Club

The crowd was on its feet smiling, singing and clapping along - to a rendition of Happy Birthday in celebration of another year in the life of singer Aaron Starkey.

And that was about as animated as this evening got for fans of Slow Readers Club as, like the birthday cake candles, the gig failed to ignite.

This was a rescheduled outing which was originally penciled in for last November and perhaps that was one reason for the disappointing turnout of only about two hundred people.

On the plus side, it meant that the band played in the original, smaller venue where the low ceiling and stretched layout played to the band’s strengths where a pulsating drumbeat and booming bass are to the fore in many songs.

The set kicked off with Fool for your philosophy from the 2015 album Cavalcade which was warmly received swiftly followed by The Wait and then the first song from the new album in the shape of Animals which echoes the groups early forages into electronica.

Released as a single along with Technofear to promote the eagerly anticipated Out of a Dream album scheduled for release on 14 March Animals was the third song of the evening and a decent tune. However it was the older tunes that resonated more, such as the excellent All I Hear where Starkey, in an act of irony, attempted to persuade the crowd to perform a synchronated stadium wave.

This is more revealing than perhaps intended. For although this Manchester band have been around for more than a decade and have had some top festival appearances and good selling albums, they have failed to make that elusive breakthrough to superstar status. Yes they have good songs, showcased here in The Great Escape and Come Lay Your Troubles on Me from the latest album but no stand out classic that will take them as a band to the next level.

SRC's thirst for such success is almost palatable. Nowhere more so than on their new single Boy so Blue. Close your eyes and it's almost Coldplay, right down to the stained vocals on the higher notes.

This band has built and sustained a dedicated and loving following and rightly so. Their songs are generally good and this gig was an enjoyable night out and the new album deserves to sell well. But I fear they will always just have a nodding acquaintance with the true success they crave.

Like a yo-yoing Championship soccer side with too few Premiership-level players, the lack of real quality songs will prevent promotion to a higher level. SRC are doomed to be the Sunderland AFC of sound.