Kaiser Chiefs are back, which may come as a surprise to those who were unaware the five Leeds Britpop revivalists had been away.

Playing this tiny show to generate buzz for their third album in more than three years (Off With Their Heads, out 20 October) they performed a lot of new songs but presented them with such energy and enthusiasm that they already seemed like familiar friends.  

“We’ll always have the old ones,” singer Ricky Wilson reassured the crowd. The tireless human equivalent of the Andrex puppy, he was off the ground more often than on it, brandishing his microphone stand like a pitchfork during The Angry Mob and twice leaping down among his people, somehow resurfacing bang on time for closing chords.   Of the new songs previewed, current single Never Miss A Beat stood out for its fabulous organ part and words that carry on the band’s tradition of lyrics as catchphrases. Jamie Oliver may base his next campaign around its cry of “What do you want for tea? I want crisps.”  

As with early hit I Predict A Riot, the predictably riotous closing song in this short set, it managed to disapprove of binge drinking Britain while still being mindlessly enjoyable enough for a significant proportion of their fanbase to take it at face value. This band might be social commentators but they are happy to entertain first. Their willingness to play the showbiz game is one reason they are outlasting many of their contemporaries.

At this heavily sponsored evening they even allowed a Topman competition winner to join them on tambourine during rowdy new track You Want History. Not all bands could keep their cool in such circumstances, but this bunch weren’t especially cool anyway. What they are is supremely watchable, and when neither band or fans are taking things too seriously, that’s often enough.