Opening with their self-titled track, Warpaint suck the crowd straight into their world of emotional hardship through their distinctively wistful words and harmonies. You're immediately struck by how tight the musicianship is between the four laid-back women on stage, the guitar parts and bass lines are strong and hypnotic, but it's the power of their vocal melodies that makes them stand out from most alternative rock bands.

Warpaint are very good at creating an impressively sombre atmosphere, but it can feel a little too heavy-going at points. There's nothing wrong with moody music, but there's almost no banter from the band between songs, and so there's no real relationship or dialogue created between us and them. You get the impression they'd be happy to have a nap for a while on their huge tour bus outside. Fortunately they plough on through and perform one of the strongest and most dynamic songs of the set entitled 'Composure', full of charming childlike chanting that helps to re-energise and shake up the sound of the set.

Another winning song is of course 'Undertow' which has nearly everyone in the crowd mouthing the words. It's wonderful when a song speaks to so many people like this, and it's moving to hear it live in all its understated splendour.

The punters also seem particularly pleased with popular track 'Elephant', a percussion-driven number with an eerie echoed vocal line that cries, "I'll break your heart!" belted out by the elegant Emily Kokal. As soon as their final jam ends, the messy-haired gifted guitar girls depart from the stage and do not return.

Although overall the set was strong, it wasn't as jaw-droppingly good as hoped and it doesn't help that they opted to not do an encore. The crowd tentatively chant "One more tune!" in true Belfast fashion, but on this occasion their needs are not met.

Harriet Pittard