Sleaford Mods / Saint Max and the Fanatics @ Broadcast, Glasgow, 5 November

The Broadcast crowd don’t quite know what to make of Saint Max and The Fanatics. There’s a predictably enthusiastic response for a song called Glasgow, but there’s more than one catcall and sarcastic cheers throughout. It’s a wee bit surprising, as the Edinburgh five-piece play an energetic, thrillingly shambolic set of ska-tinged garage punk that would win them friends elsewhere. The louche Saint Max takes it all in his stride, however.

The punters' impatience tonight is barely disguised excitement. Sleaford Mods are in town on the back of rave reviews for their breakthrough album, Divide and Exit – but they remain something of an unknown live quantity north of the border. After what must rank as the quickest stage set-up in history – plug in one laptop and a microphone – producer Andrew Fearn and lyricist/vocalist Jason Williamson arrive to a roar of approval. Fearn presses play on the backing track of Middle Men and promptly stands back to finish his pint, job done for the next three minutes. Williamson begins firing: "The metropolis of discontent and lost dreams!" His delivery is even more arresting when seen up close; he snaps out every word like it was his last, his right hand flying back and forth to provide emphasis.

Fizzy, a particularly viceral number that sets about demolishing grim modern-day working practices, claims one of the biggest responses. Williamson's savage-yet-funny descriptions – "the cunt with the gut and the Buzz Lightyear haircut" – stick in the memory and are lapped up by a crowd that has no problem relating to them. There's no between-song chat as there doesn't need to be. Sleaford Mods really do let their songs do the talking – and an amassing number are beginning to listen. [Chris McCall]