Saosin

By his own admission vocalist Cove Reber had two choices tonight - to cancel on the premise of illness or brave it anyway. And as the flawed gig gets going it's a real challenge as to whether you agree with his decision to "apologise if we suck" and play on.

Stepping off the lowest rung of the Taste of Chaos tour - which recently waded through the UK - to headline upstairs at the Barfly, Californian five-piece Saosin are still newcomers to these shores so making a first impression when your defences are down is an obvious risk.

"I’ve got some explaining to do," confesses Reber, who proceeds to justify how uncharacteristically bad his singing is. But despite sporting a look of nervous frustration at times and loitering at the back of the stage like a reluctant frontman he also claims to be in his element encouraging - almost begging - the crowd to join in and joking between each number.

Throughout the relatively short set of recently-released debut album tracks and a few oldies, it’s the musicians' energy that really powers up what is best described as a live 'experience'. Banding about a mass of post-hardcore rock vigour guitarists Beau, Justin and bassist Chris also provide much-needed vocal back-up. And keeping the vibe positive by literally grinning and bearing it, wannabe-centrepiece Chris laps up the glory of a responsive moshpit by falling into the audience.

Ironically it’s anticipated highlight 'Voices' that fails to hit the right note and fans at the front fill in the blanks of the epic, emotive single. But Cove maintains it’s really not his problem if you "walk away with a stink in your throat about Saosin" following his below par performance. Facing a bunch of 'album-hogging, Chaos-touring’ diehards relishing the intimacy of the show has perhaps summoned such a blasé attitude. Whatever the band have to prove, it seems they’ve done so much already.

And in all fairness there’s clearly a string of potential hits to defend the current buzz around Saosin and, more significantly, rescue them from severe snap judgement tonight. Next time should be a lot less painful... for everyone.