The Kooks

> Norwich Arts Centre

At a time when four boys from Sheffield have returned the indie music scene to its working class roots, a four-piece armed with a stage school education and their parents' record collections may not seem the epitome of cool.

But what The Kooks lack in rock 'n' roll credibility they more than make up for in musicianship, an ear for jangly riffs and a habit of penning catchy choruses.

When the boys from Brighton supported The Subways at The Waterfront last year, their performance hinted at a harder edge than the more acoustic, almost Razorlight-esque, sound of their album Inside In/Inside Out.

But this Jekyll and Hyde tendency merely exposes the true depth of The Kooks - they can turn in live performances that set your pulse racing but also record radio-friendly polished pop tunes.

It was the mean and nasty side of the band which excelled at the arts centre last night, with recent single You Don't Love Me a predictable standout moment along with the quirky and up-beat Eddie's Gun.

More tender moments - such as the irrepressibly sweet She Moves In Her Own Way - were not wasted on an appreciative audience.

Their album may have crept into the charts under the somewhat obese shadow of the Arctic Monkeys. But this performance, combined with the growing realisation of Inside In/Inside Out's quality, suggests The Kooks possess not only the talent but also the guts to scale similar heights.