Honeyblood @ The Hug & Pint, 26 Sep

With their second album Babes Never Die out on FatCat in November, Scottish duo Honeyblood are back with a reinvigorated performance that showcases the bulk of their energetic new record. Following a mammoth year of touring in 2015, which saw them support a clutch of high profile acts – including a Foo Fighters’ stadium date – a sold out crowd is squeezed into The Hug & Pint's tiny basement, and there's an anticipatory current running through the air before Stina Tweeddale and Cat Myers take the stage.

One of Honeyblood's many strengths is that they make a damn lot of noise for a two-piece. This crackling urgency underscores tonight's show – just the second time they have played the forthcoming record live. A pop-punk insouciance filters through Love Is A Disease and lead single from the new album, Ready For The Magic.

Despite their unfamiliarity with the new material, the audience respond enthusiastically – though plenty of cries are still issued for favourites from the band's 2014 self-titled effort. Ever obliging, the ladies respond with Super Rat and Fall Forever, reminding us of that Honeyblood knack for dishing out a satisfyingly caustic diss.

The catchy chants of Sea Hearts and the rock ‘n’ roll war cry of Babes Never Die's title track close out the set, marking an obvious stylistic shift. The new album boasts a majority of tracks that put oneself – and the support of a girl squad – at centre stage, relegating lovelorn laments to the backseat. It's a strong, if sometimes ever so slightly fumbly foray into new territory, and we certainly want to tag along for the ride to wherever Honeyblood are headed.