THE Sunderland post-punk favourites topped the bill at a packed-out Academy on Thursday for a night of some of the best new music from across the UK.

Broadcast live on Radio One, the show was fronted by the station’s Zane Lowe, who warmed up the crowd with an eclectic DJ set.

First up, London lyricyst Plan B’s mix of soul and rap was well received, but it was Manchester indie rockers The Courteeners that proved the biggest hit.

Playing a storming set for the fans, they were a hard act to follow. So when The Futureheads – David “Jaff” Craig, Ross Millard, Barry Hyde and David Hyde – finally took to the stage it was a disappointing start, with opener The Chaos, from the forthcoming album of the same name, falling flat.

But while some of the new tracks met with a lukewarm reception, a single chord of fan favourites Hounds of Love and Meantime was enough to reduce the floor to mosh-pit mayhem. And when singer Barry invited the crowd to “bouncy-bounce” their way through Skip to the End, hundreds were more than happy to oblige.

With their fourth album out on April 26 it remains to be seen whether the band can recapture the buzz that surrounded their self- titled debut five years ago. But, if the crowd was anything to go by, Sunderland’s finest have made an impressive return to the live scene.

To round off the show fans danced the night away to London five-piece rockers Chapel Club and Sunderland indie newcomers Frankie & The Heartstrings at the after-party.