Wednesday 14/02/07 Alterkicks, The Francos @ Korova, Liverpool

Gigwise has turned down numerous dinner dates, hot air balloon rides and horse-rides on the beach to spend Valentine’s night in the company of Alterkicks; so they better be good. First up we catch Bristol four-piece, The Francos, featuring Alterkicks’s lead singer, Martin Stilwell’s, younger brother. This isn’t rampant nepotism however, because The Francos are really very good.

The Bristol four-piece are instantly appealing with their wriggling bass lines and fresh, clean sound. Swaying sunnily from the continent to Zuton-esque Liverpool, The Francos exude an irrepressible playfulness, even as their set pitches progressively darker. Guitars are tickly, drums bubbly and there’s no mistaking singer Pete Stilwell’s vocal similarity to Martin.

Some Gigwise reviewers (yes, you David Renshaw) are lucky enough to be over 6 ft. This one isn’t, rendering Korova’s petite stage invisible as the crowd crush to the front to greet the homegrown talent of Alterkicks. The jostling throng hurl a venomous poo-face at Gigwise as we try to squeeze through for an eyeful of tonight’s headliners. Admittedly, we’re sloshing around a glass of wine and knee-capping innocent bystanders with our bag, but the hostility is enough to drive us to the back of the venue to gormlessly watch proceedings on a tv screen.

One thing is for sure; Alterkicks are riding high on a new wave of confidence on the inaugural date of their first headline tour with B-Unique. 'Oh Honey' is a saccharine, hedonistic set opener which sounds beautifully free from the restrictions of production. The band are hot, wired, crushed on stage, and as the temperature rises, so does the tempo almost glazing the song with a disco varnish. 'Cannibal Hitch-Hiking Disaster' is similarly triumphant, cascading through the crowd with as much iridescent energy as its snow-capped subject matter. Oli Hughes’ crystalline drumming sounds magnificent and the crowd show their approval.

'On A Holiday', is bumptious, precocious and the perfect showcase for Stilwell’s distinctive lemon sherbert voice: equal measures sweet and emotive, acerbic and prickly. But perhaps the night’s highlight is the euphoric 'Good Luck', which is delivered with an anthemic sincerity, redolent of Doves’ Pounding. This is the sound of a band exuding conviction, guitar lines wreath the room, whilst guitarists Mike Oaks and Gareth Padfield attack backing vocals with a renewed vigour. Let’s hope they can keep it up as they traverse the rest of the UK.