Rifles, 93 Feet East, London- 9 March 2006

Back in London after a three week UK tour, this was the Rifles homecoming.

“Let’s make it a memorable one,” lead singer Joel Stoker announced as guitarist Lucus Crowther, threw out cans of beer to the crowd.

The 250-capacity venue sold out six weeks before the gig and the crowd - in their late teens and early 20s - were all up for it.

With their Mod image and Jam-inspired guitar riffs, the Rifles are riding high on the back of the current ska revival.

For Local Boy, which Radio 1’s Zane Lowe has described as “the hottest record in the world”, the band’s mates stormed out from the back, diving from the stage. Support band Milburn were up on stage next- doing the same and then guitarist Crowther was off - he lost his trilby and glasses in his dive.

The crowd were left clapping and chanting “Rifles” for a good five minutes before the band returned for their encore. Crowther asked for his hat back and Stoker quipped: “It makes him the man he is.”

They apologised for taking so long to return to the stage- apparently they were practicing out back. It paid off though- No Love Lost went down well to end this short but storming set.