Crystal Castles kick off Topman NME New Noise tour

The Topman NME New Noise Tour kicked off in Oxford last night (May 2).

Despite an early 6.45pm (BST) start a crowd gathered to watched hotly tipped doomsters White Lies play what was only their fifth ever gig, including new single 'Unfinished Business'.

Their 30 minute set was a joyously recieved by fans and inquisitive music industry scouts.

They were followed by Preston fourpiece Team Waterpolo, who's singer Fred Davis bantered with the crowd about the weather before playing standout track 'So Called Summer'.

"It always rains in Preston," he explained, "so we wrote this song to make it go away."

Friendly Fires produced a a more dancey set, with singer Ed Macfarlane prancing about the stage with some Mick Jagger-esque moves, while the crowd screamed and danced through banging versions of songs including 'Paris'.

Headliners Crystal Castles arrived onto a black stage and bleeping computers, before singer Alice Glass launched herself across the stage as the crowd frenziedly called on.

Glass then spent much of the show diving into the crowd, and writhing about onstage as the duo tore through the likes of 'Air War' and 'Courtship Dating'.

The tour continues in Bristol tonight (May 3), before the following dates:

Norwich Waterfront (4)
Brighton Concorde (5)
Nottingham Rescue Rooms (6)
Birmingham Carling Academy 2 (8)
Glasgow The Arches (10)
Newcastle Carling Academy 2 (11)
Manchester Academy 2 (12)
London Astoria 2 (14)
Stoke Sugarmill (15)[/b]

To check the availability of Topman NME New Noise Tour tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/GIGS now, or call 0871 230 1094.