FANS were disappointed when The Kooks’ December gig was cancelled at short notice following a bereavement.

But there was no disappointment at a packed-out Barbican last Wednesday night when the Britpop band took over the stage for their 100-minute set.

They performed songs from all four albums, the bulk coming from their debut one Inside In/Inside Out and their 2014 offering, Listen.

It was a gentle start with frontman Luke Pritchard giving an acoustic solo performance of Seaside, a fan’s favourite and one of pop’s most perfect under-two-minute songs.

Things turned more upbeat with some tracks from their latest album, and the crowd started to liven up.

Behind the band were four square screens projecting colourful graphics, one of the most striking being a pair of red open lips reminiscent of the Rolling Stones’ logo as the band played the catchy Around Town.

Pritchard yo-yoed between guitars throughout the gig and picked up the acoustic one again for Ooh La, a top-20 hit from a decade ago when the band first tasted success.

Two tracks from Listen followed, Down and Bad Habit, and got the crowd on their feet – even in the all-seated balcony.

Camera phones came out en masse for the moving ballad See Me Now, about Pritchard’s late father, which he sang at a keyboard placed at the front of the stage. It was a quiet moment in what was mostly an energetic show.

The last song, Naïve, a top-five from 2006, left the Barbican standing-room only, with everyone dancing and singing along to a well-loved favourite.

Review by Eva Pears