Roddy Woomble crouches on the edge of the stage, eyes alight and sweat pouring down his face. He has long since discarded his mic, the stand kicked to the floor, and is now yelling his lyrics, repeating one line over and over to the feedback. He crouches, mesmerised by the faces before him, and touches the outstretched hands in a daze. But that much we have come to expect from Idlewild. It's the reaction of the crowd we could never have predicted.
Here in droves to worship headliners Muse, few had even heard of Idlewild before this evening. It's only curiosity and a strong value-for-money ethic that brings them en masse from the bar to have a quick look. At first, they look positively frightened by the band's sheer, reckless exuberance, by their willingness to compromise on perfection for the sake of spectacle. After all, it's hard to make every note perfect when you're trying to headbutt the ceiling.
But two songs in and Idlewild, desperately keen to show what they can do, have worked their charm. It seems this lengthy European tour has toughened them up and made them really want this, no matter how long or difficult the process.
It's the closest anyone can come to acting with the benefit of hindsight. Eager to please, the band have the renewed vigour and excitement of their early days and buzz with self-belief. But, no matter how hard they pogo, Idlewild are about more than that now.
Recent Top 15 album '100 Broken Windows' was evidence enough. When translated to stage, songs like 'Little Discourage' and 'These Wooden Ideas' show that Idlewild are much more than the exciting live prospect people expect. Though that near-legendary energy still draws in new fans tonight, it's the band's unappreciated substance that keeps them interested with Roddy's flashes of lyrical brilliance more entertaining than any stage action. The eventual balances prove Idlewild are now the band we always knew they could be, a band you should get very excited about. No false alarms this time. Idlewild are ready for us.
NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.
Comments do not always reflect the views of NME, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page