Wednesday 05/10/04 The Glitterati, Ishkobar @ Barfly, Liverpool

Cock Rock, its making a come back, or so it seems, although Ishkobar wouldn’t know what cock rock was even if someone hit them in the face with it (gulp). This Nordic/Afrikaan group are what I like to call a bland band, they do everything right but have about as much personality as a peanut; their lack-lustre set only confirms the suspicions that they are nuns doing an impression of what they perceive to be a perfect set.

Tracks like ‘Intime’ and ‘Open Up’ are all pitch perfect but their talent is completely overshadowed by the fact that these boys - although able to produce some nice sounds with their instruments and voices - are not really hot enough to cause much of a stir or a following, tonight or any other day of the week.

After that poor excuse for a rock band it is with tremendous anticipation that The Glitterati take to the stage. With swaggering bravado these boys look like they own the Barfly and for just under an hour, they certainly do.

Living up to their name and donned with glittery articles in the shape of clothing that has been collectively shrunk in the wash they kick off with the phrase "We are corporate rock whores". They may well be but that is not going to stop this 100 strong crowd giving them all the love they deserve.

First track ‘Better Man’ reveals the screeching and lung collapsing talents of lead singer Paul Gautrey who for just under an hour sings and yelps and howls like his life depends on it. Tonight’s set reveals that he is much better at shrieking than actually singing, but **** it.

Although sleaze is what these guys do best they cannot but help reveal their more tender side with tracks like ‘Don’t Do Romance’. Well it's about as tender as they are ever gonna get and as Gautrey swings his mic stand around and does some crazy dance moves, the girls at the front go wild. He points at them whilst singing and they swoon like all good groupies should.

Throughout tracks like ‘Love Yourself’, ‘Thinking About You’ and ‘Nothing On Me’ one thing is constant and that is that the Glitterati know how to really let it rip. By the second track the drummer’s shirt is off and he is sweating like the best of them, while the three guitarists take turns in taking centre stage and producing riffs that G'n'R would be proud of. And that is the sort of night you can expect when venturing into the sleazy underworld of the Glitterati, cock rock, a Thin Lizzy-esque performance and hoards of girls all trying to get backstage to shag their heroes.

These boys make you realise that image and attitude is just as important as the tunes these days. In a land bereft of credible live performances the Glitterati are a treat to see live.