IT’S almost become a Christmas tradition whenever the year is an odd number.

Every other winter, York’s greatest chart toppers Shed Seven put day jobs aside to embark on a nationwide tour of sell-out December gigs, finishing off with raucous homecomings in their home county.

This year it was Leeds, with Tuesday's barnstorming grand finale at the O2 Academy adding to Monday's sell-out.

Support on this tour has come from the other side of the Pennines, with Oldham's Inspiral Carpets - familiar to the York crowd having headlined the Apollo Festival during the summer - kicking off proceedings.

It seems hardly fair to label them "the support act" given their standing in the old Madchester indie scene, and they're on excellent form with sing-a-long classics like This is How It Feels, She Comes in The Fall and Dragging Me Down.

Their unique mix of organ and guitars is best showcased with their final song Saturn 5, which sets everyone up nicely for the main show.

The stalls are packed to bursting as the familiar Magnificent Seven theme tune brings the band to the stage.

They're full of energy, although Joe Johnson looks understandably annoyed by the airborne pint that covers him, his guitar and keyboards a few bars into the first song, She Left Me On Friday.

There's a wide range of ages in the audience, and frontman Rick Witter spots a young lad called Sam - who's 12 - and asks him about his favourite band. The Happy Mondays is the unexpected, amusing response, but a further question about a favourite Shed Seven song attracts a better answer of Going for Gold. "If we can attract 12-year-olds we'll be going for ever," says Rick.

A high point of the main set comes from Disco Down and Bully Boy, when the audience embark on lively, beer-soaked, jostling. Some don't stop dancing until well after the band have left the stage.

Quieter numbers like Cry For Help let everyone catch their breath in the 15-song main set. Rick also draws our attention to the accompanying, fun-loving brass trio, who are apparently "helpful but not integral!"

Chants of "Yorkshire, Yorkshire..." bring the band back to the stage to perform Missing Out, and then the audience go crazy again for Getting Better.

Chasing Rainbows - what else? - brings the evening to a close, complete with confetti cannons, Rick's young daughter joining him on stage, and deafening appreciation.

Alan Leach somersaults over his kick drum to join the rest of the triumphant band at the front of the stage.

Do we have to wait another two years for this? Shedcember 2017 can't come too soon.