THE duke spirit

Instead, they come across as quite a calculating and efficient musical unit – but relying on administering simple chord progressions with plenty of bass. Of course, projecting more menace than the sight of Johnny Rotten coming at you in the dead of night with a pair of dental pliers is not a bad thing if you can pull it off. And with Leila Moss centrestage, the Duke Spirit are better equipped to do this than most. The svelte Leila has a focused and slightly sultry stage presence, and seems rather detached from the rest of the band. There are none of the glances, nods and tit-bits of conversation between lead singer and bandmates that usually keep the cogs of any performance turning. Even on such a small stage, it’s hard to take your eyes off Leila, irrespective of her svelte figure clad in black leggings and knee-high boots. No, honestly. She might be the polar opposite of Beth Ditto in the looks department, but she is the musical fulcrum of her band’s live effort on merit. Most of the band’s new material played for our consideration tonight works along the same lines as their previous releases, such as the ‘Love Is An Unfamiliar Name’: streamlined, direct and desperate in intensity. ‘Dog Roses’ seems a slight exception, with an unexpected but highly welcomed sixties vibe to it. There’s no time for ‘Cuts Across The Land’ or ‘Win Your Love’ in a quick-fire set, no time even for an encore - but the band do not disappoint. Muy bueno mi amigos.