Reigning Days give us a blistering set. It means that RavenEye have to pull out all the stops to match their support band.

Raveneye/Reigning Days

Waterfront Studio, Norwich

Every now and again, a band pops up on the radar unexpectedly. Not that there aren't plenty of decent acts on the circuit, but it's usually the headliners that steal the show, with the support band a little bonus if they're half-decent.

This isn't the case with Reigning Days, though, who give us a blistering set. The three-piece from Devon are a heavier version of Muse, combining crunching riffs with melodic choruses and layered harmonies.

With songs such as the atmospheric Changes and new single Renegade in their locker, it's easy to see how they've already become firm favourites with Kerrang! TV, and their forthcoming performance at this year's Download festival should win them even more new fans.

It means that RavenEye have to pull out all the stops to match their support band, and the start of the main set suggests it's going to be a hard job.

Not that local boy Oli Brown and his crew do much wrong, but they initially struggle to conquer the sound system with the clarity that Reigning Days managed.

The last time Brown et al played Norwich was at the Arts Centre, just before Christmas, under their other moniker of, simply, 'Oli Brown'. That was a blues set, and songs such as Manic Bloom demonstrated what great proponents of that genre they are. At the slower end of the spectrum, Brown excelled during a cover of I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, making it his own with his soaring vocals.

Tonight, the trio are showing their harder edge as RavenEye, and once the sound improves, it becomes clear why they have managed to secure support slots with Slash and Deep Purple over the past 12 months.

The band (completed by Aaron Spiers on bass and drummer Kev Hickman) are in good humour, and Brown's natural banter cements a warm relationship with the audience during this homecoming.

Hey Hey Yeah and Breaking Down could have come from the catalogue of a much longer-established band, while Brown's guitar solo in the audience while riding on Spiers's shoulders brings a little bit of rock 'n' roll showmanship to proceedings without quite strolling into cliché territory.

RavenEye and Reigning Days are both on their way to bigger and better things. Ignore these sorts of local gigs and you risk missing a treat.

Adam Aiken