The Kixx rock Islington's O2 Academy - 1st September

When it comes to intimate venues, you don't get much more intimate than the O2 Academy in Islington. It's one of those whites-of-the-eyes places, where the music becomes a physical force, where every throbbing guitar string, every beat of the drum becomes part of the spectacle.

And for The Kixx's headline showcase, the place was absolutely packed.

You could tell the fans were out in force from the moment the band walked on stage to a wave of screams of the kind only teen girls worshipping their favourite band seem capable of making.

There was an impressive array of home-made banners and t-shirts held aloft too - all testament to the popularity The Kixx have already garnered for themselves.

And hovering near the bar, a crowd of aging dads, clearly there to chaperone their daughters to and from the gig. Despite looking like they'd be more at home at a Pink Floyd gig though, when the Kixx started playing, it has to be said, this assortment of fathers were digging the music just as much as anyone else there. Wide-ranging appeal The Kixx clearly have in ample amounts.

And in a way, that was what tonight was all about - as well as my personal favourite Already Gone and current single Standing Where You Left Me (both synth-heavy pop-rock stormers), the band took the opportunity to play a range of new tracks more in the vein of We Begin At The End.

The band have previously been compared with the likes of The Script, albeit a far more cheery incarnation, and its a sound that definitely came across tonight in the band's newer material - the sign of a band unveiling their mature side, a befitting new direction for a group that play all their own instruments.

Indeed, in terms of musical ability, The Kixx are faultless - sharing lead vocals throughout the gig and whipping through a range of assorted flashy guitars, you can tell they possess a keen passion for what they do.

Some bands totally come into their own in a live setting, and The Kixx are one of those bands - the movement, the energy, the mutual feedback of it all.

The band even had a celeb admirer present in the lovely Kasey from girl-group Wonderland, who the guys toured alongside with when supporting Olly Murs earlier in the year.

A nice touch of glamour for a very classy live set!

Standing Where You Left Me is released on the 4th September and can be pre-ordered here.

The Kixx - Album preview

A few weeks ago I saw new band The Kixx supporting Olly Murs on tour at the prestigious Hammersmith Apollo and came away truly impressed by what they had to offer. Their debut single Already Gone is a fizzing, immensely energetic bit of pop/rock and a storming introduction to a group who are sure to be making waves in the music world shortly.

Listening to The Kixx's album sampler, the first thing that strikes you is the sense of energy - like a lightning storm trapped in a bottle and then suddenly let loose.

Tracks like Already Gone are at that moment of release, propelled on a jet-stream of catchy hooks and passion that was plain to see for anyone who caught them on tour. Dashing around the stage, guitars swinging, they played like it wasn't just a support slot, but their own headline show.

A real favourite of mine is Standing Where You Left Me - another massive upbeat track, full of bonkers techno synths, but also a surprisingly real grit to the vocals too.

With lyrics of 'Pretty lies are no concern, when we love we never learn', the song details a pessimistic outlook on the dangers of a fractious relationship. This isn't a Disney-fied sugar and smiles account of love and life, but rather something far more visceral and real.

Another thing The Kixx do really well? Laddy chants - they're stamped all over the album, especially on the punky There She Goes Again.

On a slower note though, there's Breathless, a lush piano ballad with real maturity to it. With a song like this, the crux of it is really believing the band means what they sing, and Breathless feels thoroughly authentic. Throughout the song, and the album as a whole, there are little quirks of melody as well as the overall scale of the sound that really help to elevate this into something truly alive.

When I saw them live at Hammersmith, you got a sense of the real benefit gained from them functioning as a complete band who all play their own instruments and who know exactly what they're doing. There's just a much fuller sound, and that's something reflected here on the album sampler too. Listening to Begin At The End, there's a satisfying throb of the bass in the verses, a real crunch to the guitar in the chorus - a musical intricacy that you just don't get with other boy bands.

A lot of comparisons have already been made with bands like Busted or McFly, but in truth the similarities don't really go much further than that they're all groups of guys playing catchy pop/rock tunes.

The Kixx's sound is their own and where they really shine is that they seem to have really pinned down what that unique sound is for them. Whereas other bands might spend their first album or two trundling along in first gear, The Kixx are already kicking it up to fifth.

Already Gone is available to download now.

The Kixx - Already Gone

In this age of social media and internet-savvy teens, 15,000 fans on Facebook is a pretty sure sign you're on the right track. And that's exactly what new boy-band The Kixx have gone and got themselves. Comprised of David, Robbie, Dave and Jack, the band are set to join Olly Murs on his UK tour in the coming months - something sure to see that number of fans grow and grow.

Their debut single Already Gone is an electro tinged pop-rock stomper; a buzz-saw synth bassline and machine-gun beats setting the pace before the track launches into a full-throttle chorus. Electric energy lies at the heart of this track and it whips you along at a roaring pace.

Fans of The Wanted will lap The Kixx up, they present that same confident, powerful brand of lad-pop. But what marks them out as different? Well, they play their own instruments for a start. Then there's the more clinical, precise feel stamped all over Already Gone - It's a song that knows all the right buttons to press, presenting a more refined, modern breed of track. Imagine the swagger and youthful energy of McFly in their prime mixed in with the dreamy New Wave of Duran Duran and you'll have a fair idea of what the band sound like.

And if all that wasn't already enough to convince you to check them out, the video for the single features Emily Atack AKA Inbetweeners hottie Charlotte Hinchcliffe.

I really love some of Kixx's early YouTube cover versions too, in particular their take on Linkin Park's Numb where they transform the track into a beautiful chilled out ballad. It showcases a real rock edge to the boys' voices, a nice touch when so many competiting boybands head more for the R&B vibe. Take That's SOS and The Script's For The First Time also get an outing - one thing that really wins me over with these guys is simply the song choices displayed here, they go for less obvious songs and it allows them to fully come into their own. This is a band that place themselves in an increasingly crowded market and who aren't afraid to try something a little different to get heads turning their way. I'm impressed.

Already Gone is released on June 5th.