THERE was I thinking that the people of Manchester were a musically educated bunch when I turned up to a half-empty Academy to enjoy Tapes 'n' Tapes whilst Vampire Weekend played to a sold out crowd upstairs.

Minneapolis alt-rockers Tapes 'n' Tapes got off to a subdued start with the instrumental Jackov's Suite and a delicate performance of Ohama but despite some minor lighting malfunctions managed to keep it together.

Tapes finally managed to raise the tempo belting out classics such as Cowbell and the excellent Conquest eventually getting at least 10 of the hundred strong crowd to break a sweat.

Despite Josh Griers fine performance, energy, passion and genius it wasn't until the insistant beat of Insistor and Just Drums that the audience finally got tuned in.

Hang Them All brought the set to an amazing crescendo and left the crowd wanting more, and, I suspect, wishing they had got into the spirit of things much earlier on.

Tapes n Tapes new album Walk it off is out now, if it's in your collection you can be sure it will be one that you play time and time again for decades to come, much like that Pixies album you play every now and again and relish every time.