North-east five some Maximo Park have just begun their UK tour in their hometown but now it is all over for Newcastle. Having played two sold out dates at the O2 the fans surely have got everything they wanted from the band. Launching into top hit Our Velocity, they're greeted like the saviours of indie-rock, and singer Paul Smith is in fine fettle throughout, mixing wiry angular dance moves, with speaker climbing skills, and of course he is wearing his signature bowler hat like a crown. Throughout the lengthy set the crowd never misses a beat, and carries on dancing like there’s no tomorrow from start till finish. Powering their way through a mixture of tracks from their three albums, Maximo Park excites the audience with Nose Bleed, Let’s Get Clinical and new single from Quicken The Heart, The Kids Are Sick. The band created an electric atmosphere and engaged in friendly banter with the audience, and they returned the greeting with traditional Geordie chants which spurred the band on once more. Returning to the stage amongst cries of Maximo they came to play a flawless encore finishing on 'Limassol', before promising to be back later on in the year. For a band that has achieved so much, Maximo Park are constantly pushing ever onwards and upwards, darting off in new directions and exploring new dimensions of their sound and their new album was a fine way indeed to kick-start what is sure to be an extraordinary new step in their already dazzling career.

By Sophie Stratford