Electro-rock experimentalists Public Service Broadcasting can always be relied upon to keep things interesting – but even by their standards this was a stunning show.

To the unacquainted, PSB is the creative vehicle of corduroy-loving multi-instrumentalist J Willgoose Esq. Originally a two-piece with drummer Wrigglesworth it has grown into a trio with JF Abraham – though, for this first date of their UK tour the stage was full, with a brass section joining the fun on a punchy, engaging and emotional voyage.

Having delighted with work themed on the Space Race and Second World War, it was latest record, Every Valley, a concept album based on coal mining, which set the tone for tonight’s show. The band emerged onto a stage book ended with spinning models of pit head winding gear. Behind them hung an array of screens, each showing archive footage and film clips tying in with the music. And that, to begin with, at least, was all about ‘king’ coal.

We get album track Every Valley, The Pit and the stridently optimistic (and poignant) People Will Always Need Coal.

It’s tremendous stuff – jangling prog-rock and screaming guitars set against heavy beats, killer bass lines and bouncing, fizzy electronica – hammered home by the visuals and the dynamic spectacle of three tweedy chaps, and their engagingly geeky mates, ripping it up on stage.

Highlights included the thumpingly rhythmic Theme from PSB, beautiful Night Mail (a neck-tinglingly beautiful tribute to the Edinburgh-London mail train), and live favourite Spitfire – their soaring electro-rock salute to the men who won the Battle of Britain.

Cosmic album The Race for Space gets a good showing with Korolev, EVA, Valentina, The Other Side and the dancy Go! celebrating largely Russian triumphs. But they save the best for last, of course, with a heart-racing reminder of the miners’ strike for encore opener All Out (hats off to the band for also selling Justice for Orgreave T-Shirts in the foyer to raise cash for the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign), a bouncy Gagarin – with space suit clad cosmonauts joining them on stage and a haunting brassy finale with Everest, taking us to the roof of the world.

It was a breathtaking virtuoso performance, a slick marriage of technology, fun and old fashioned musicianship with some serious points to make, fulfilling their mission statement to “Inform-Educate-Entertain”. Brilliant!

TIM HUGHES 5/5