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Next up is Futurescope, the ambient/house project of Lisburn-based electronic musician Niall Hillary. Diametrically opposed to the dogged force of tonight鈥檚 opening act, Hillary and his band open with the warm nocturnalism of 鈥楾he City鈥�, a track that sees vocalist Claire McCartney embody the mesmeric lure of (Eighties) Stevie Nicks and the vocal dexterity of (Eighties) Kate Bush. Whether or not it鈥檚 your scene, songs like 鈥楨levation鈥� manage to more than convincingly evoke early house nostalgia with the best of modern day synth-centric bands.

With the automatic advantage of having the most exuberant drummer in the world to their name, Cork quartet Former Monarchs racket things up several notches with their fully infectious, forward-thinking alt-rock. Possessing the inspiring deftness of Maps and Atlases and the raucous might of Manchester鈥檚 Oceanzise, 鈥楥lans鈥�, the politically scathing 鈥楳y Friend Has No Job鈥� and 鈥攕et highlight 鈥� 鈥楻epeat After Me鈥�, they鈥檙e the first band this evening to fully capture the crowd鈥檚 attention not only musically but also in terms of presence. Nice guys, great music: expect them to go far.

But after what seems like a lifetime of technical difficulties, tonight鈥檚 headline act Uber Glitterati emerge before tonight鈥檚 modest crowd to unveil their debut EP and more. Starting on the aptly-titled 鈥極pening Move鈥�, their set is equally at odds between the majestic, warm spell of their music and the delays that mar the flow of their set. That said, however, evoking Justice鈥檚 鈥榃e Are Your Friends鈥� as covered by Electronic duo Goldfrapp, the brilliantly bass-led 鈥楽poken Glass鈥� and 鈥� better still 鈥� 鈥楢ustralia鈥� are two early tracks more than worth the wait.

In spite of vocalist Elizabeth鈥檚 being unwell (鈥渋magine all this but ten times better鈥�) Uber Glitterati impressively manage to keep it all together on the likes of 鈥楽tood In Line鈥� and 鈥楾ake Your Station鈥�, both wonderfully effervescent tracks in which resourceful wizard Stevie Mac melds catching chord progressions with buoyant bridges evenly reminiscent of Oppenheimer and Weezer breakaways the Rentals.

At the end, despite perhaps one too many plugs of their new release and a smashed pint glass getting the biggest cheer of the night (hey, it鈥檚 Belfast) it鈥檚 an enchanting set from a two-piece right on the cusp of bigger and better things.

Brian Coney