LIVERPUDLIAN quintet The Zutons have proved notoriously difficult to categorise beyond the staid and overused indie-rock' tag, which is distributed indiscriminately these days.

Psychedelic cartoon punk' and Zombie rock' have simultaneously been used to describe their atmospheric rhythms and distinctive melodies. The tendency here is to dismiss them as something of a comedy outfit when they appear determined to place themselves as anything but.

Having said that, you can see where those two descriptions come from. Many of their tunes would be right at home on the soundtrack of an as-yet unmade horror film, lending a spooky air to the proceedings.

Kicking off with raucous single Why Won't you Give Me Your Love? and moving through high points from 2004's Who Killed the Zutons and latest album Tired of Hanging Around, the set-list gave long-time fans exactly what they wanted and newcomers an entertaining induction.

Panache is not in short supply either. The band's drummer Sean Payne is referred to by front man David McCabe as the Beatmaster', and McCabe himself is described in turn by saxophonist Abi Harding as Your Host'. Audience interaction is very much a theme to their live show, with band members trying on hats thrown on to the stage from the audience and ribbing the Manchester crowd over recent football results.

Energetic to the end, the set features acoustic melancholy, frenetic bass-driven stomps and soaring jazz melodies in equal measure.

Highlights include the heart-stopping hymn of regret Confusion, singalong moment extrordinaire You Will You Won't and recent chart smash Valerie.

Traditionally, album sales and catchy commercial tunes bring a rush of mainstream popularity and a degree of smoothing out'.

One would hope that increased success won't spoil The Zutons' quirky cabaret act' persona - for my taste they are straying just the right distance from the beaten track.