Ten years ago, The Chemical Brothers were just about to release their ground-breaking debut album Exit Planet Dust. Tracks like Song To The Siren and Leave Home mixed and matched hip hop beats and techno squeals.
At the time, jungle and progressive house still ruled the raves and clubs, but The Chemicals' sound invented a new genre that stole the show: Big Beat.
It was a niche that made Fatboy Slim a millionaire and brought together the worlds of indie and dance with rock stars such as Noel Gallagher and Tim Burgess queuing up to add guest vocals to Chemical Brothers' tracks.
Fast forward 10 years to now, and dance music is gasping for breath. Recent albums from big name dance acts have flopped, while stick-thin guitar-wielding wastrels with impossible fringes are the new pop icons.
But unlike The Prodigy, Orbital and Underworld, The Chems are one of only a couple of dance acts still doing brisk business. While Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons' sound on fifth album Push The Button may not have strayed far from their well-worn path, but Tom and Ed still have plenty of people willing to shell out 20 notes for a top night out with them. A Chemical Brothers DJ set is never a disappointment, while a live gig is a thrilling mess of live remixing and rabid bassquakes.
So what is it that sets The Chems apart from their floundering contemporaries? It's certainly not their look. The duo are middle-aged and slightly pot-bellied. And it's not their attitude either Tom and Ed are rarely interesting in interviews.
After their poor-selling fourth album Come With Us, their next album was make or break for the band. Luckily, Push The Button is leaner, pacier and reinvigorated.
Besides this return to form, two factors have saved The Chemicals from bargain bin obscurity.
Firstly, they make some of the best videos around, and secondly they have a knack for collaborating with some of the coolest names in rock. Over their career they've hooked up with Noel Gallagher, Beth Orton, Bernard Sumner, Richard Ashcroft, The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, Mercury Rev's Jonathon Donahue, and Q-Tip.
Their last single Believe demonstrated this superbly. Kele Okereke of electro-rockers Bloc Party provides vocals, while the video features a factory worker being chased by an out of control assembly line robot.
While the rock critics are having a fine old time slating anything with a drum machine, Tom and Ed seem oblivious. They're big beat millionaires and could give it all up on a whim tomorrow . Tuesday's gig is much more than a big beat masterclass. It's the sound of a band unwilling to hand on the baton just yet.
Starts 7:30pm, tickets cost £20, call 0870 900 9100
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