UNLIKE Julian Cope the previous evening (he cancelled at the last minute as the stage was "too dark"), Swervedriver made it through the murk to the stage for the first time in York.

Having reignited in 2008 after a ten-year hiatus, the Oxford band are touring the world and have just arrived back from a lengthy USA tour.

They opened with Autodidact, the opener from their new album I Wasn’t Born To Lose You, and proceeded to tear through most of their back catalogue.

Rattling through For Seeking Heat, These Times, Setting Sun, Lone Star and Son Of Mustang Ford, among others, the pace was pretty relentless. A particular highlight was Never Lose That Feeling, a non-album track from way back in 1992.

New songs sat perfectly alongside the old ones, while singer/guitarist Adam Franklin interacted far more with the audience than he used to back in the day.

With Jimmy Hartridge on guitar too, and Mick Quinn from Supergrass standing in on bass duties, this really was a masterclass in the ways of alternative rock. Their complex, yet apparently effortless playing sounded perfect. The only minor quibble was that the vocals were a bit lost in the mix.

Enjoying much more success in the US than the UK, it was rare to see Swervedriver venture up north, but those who made the effort to catch them have witnessed a band still at the peak of their powers.