By Andrew Clarke

Last updated 15:54, Wednesday, 14 May 2008

FIVE years after their last appearance in town, The Bluetones returned to Whitehaven Civic Hall on Saturday and it was like they’d never been away.

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lost in music: Adam Devlin

“Isn’t this nice,” singer Mark Morriss chatted to the small, but enthusiastic, crowd as if he was talking to an old friend. “And we’d like to thank you for having us back.”

Although the band’s star may have dimmed somewhat since their mid-90s Britpop heyday, they do boast a strong back catalogue and, with a few new songs sprinkled in, it made for an enjoyable show.

That being said, the gig started off a little flat. Never Going Nowhere was an unusual choice for an opener given that it isn’t one of the band’s better known songs and barely made the Top 40 when it was released in 2003.

But The Bluetones kicked on from this and, as soon as the opening instantly recognisable notes of Solomon Bites The Worm sounded, the gig went from strength to strength.

New song Surrender was given an airing by the band, as were Tiger Lily and The Last of the Great Navigators from 2000 album Science & Nature.

But unsurprisingly it was the songs that helped make the band’s name, from their 1990s pomp, that received the biggest reaction from the Civic crowd.

Morriss introduced Sleazy Bed Track as a ballad, which with lines like “Climb up here with me and lets forget about sleep and lay down” isn’t a ballad in the traditional sense, but a top tune nevertheless.

Often described as “Britpop survivors”, The Bluetones continue to gig and record while the majority of their contemporaries have fallen by the wayside. And although it is unlikely they will ever recapture their glory days, of knocking Oasis’ masterpiece (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? off the top of the album charts as they did in 1996, they still sound as good today as they ever have.

The band’s anthem, the outstanding Slight Return, was the highlight of their performance which was closed by the endearing sing-along If, which came with promises from the band that they’ll be back soon and I’m sure that those who turned out to see them on Saturday night will welcome them back with open arms.