THE Arctic Monkeys hit fans for six with a magnificent performance in front of 50,000 fans at Old Trafford cricket ground.

In little more than 18 months, the Sheffield band have transformed themselves from whispered-about cult status to must-see performers of the summer.

In fact, their rise has been so meteoric that no one doubted their ability to make a success of the weekend's two-day festival at Old Trafford.

Not since the height of the epic Ashes clash between England and Australia in 2005 has a crowd been so thrilled and captivated at the cricket ground.

Indeed, it is harder to recall a more triumphant gig in Manchester since the heady days of 1996 when Oasis ruled the music world and sold out Manchester City's old Maine Road stadium.

The Gallagher brothers have since fallen from their lofty position but in the Artic Monkeys they have natural successors.

After two critically-acclaimed albums, last year's brilliant "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" followed by "Favourite Worst Nightmare" this April, the Mercury Prize-winning fourpiece share many similarities with Oasis.

The cocksure swagger, gritty northern lyrics and, more than anything else, an ability to pen sing-along anthems have their fans screaming for more.

From the moment lead singer Alex Turner opened the show with the raucous "Fluorescent Adolescent", right through to their final song, the amazing "A Certain Romance," the Arctic Monkeys were in scintillating form.

They ran through all their classics - "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", "When the Sun Goes Down", "Dancing Shoes" and the beautiful "505" - in a truly stunning set.

The soulful Amy Winehouse, Mersey band The Coral and indie stalwarts Supergrass all played their part, but the day was all about the Monkeys. They didn't disappoint.