Kasabian's guitarist and songwriter Serge Pizzorno seems to find the fact that the Brighton Centre has a capacity of more than three thousand rather funny.

"How many people can you fit in that one?" he laughs. "A year ago, the last time we were in Brighton, we were at The Zap. Now were playing to thousands. We have come a long way."

Not only this but Kasabian, who modestly consider themselves the guardians of rock 'n' roll, sold out the gig weeks ago.

"I think we're good, that's why we've done well, and we're a fun live act," says Serge. "We're the cheeky chappies from the North. That's what the scene has been needing for a long time.

"We just love what we do. I have been to a million shows where the bands look bored and it makes you want to walk out.

"We just love playing in a band, and people get off on that."

Naming themselves after Linda Kasabian, the key witness in the Charles Manson murder trial, because they "liked the name", the latest exports from Leicester formed at school six years ago and have been in their current line-up (Serge plus Tom Meighan on vocals, Christopher Karloff on guitar/keyboards, Chris Edwards on bass) for the past four.

"We were a bit naive and innocent and we only knew three notes at first. We were all just mates, not musicians. We never advertised for band members or anything like that."

Their dark guitar rock is full of spacey beeps and haphazard synths and their attitude a bolshy swagger which has drawn comparisons with the likes of The Happy Mondays, Primal Scream and Oasis. Liam Gallagher himself exclaimed on meeting Kasabian: "You've got some b*******! You're a gang - not a bunch of students. A proper band with a cool attitude. You're rocking!"

Enforcing the stereotype of spontaneous rebels, Kasabian started out playing ad hoc gigs outside their beloved Leicester football club, at the Government War Rooms and on a farm (where they lived whilst recording their eponymous debut album) using car batteries for power.

"We weren't doing it to be cool," says Serge. "It was just more exciting. At one of these gigs anything could go wrong - no-one might turn up, or the power might not work. Anything could happen."

They were the talk of last year's Glastonbury Festival and are booked to play again this year. Album sales and hype have snowballed ever since.

"I first thought things were going to get a bit mental from there on in," remembers Serge. "We're not nervous about playing to so many people. I get nervous about going to the dentist or monsters, but not having the opportunity to do something like this."

Starts 7pm, tickets sold out. Call 0870 900 9100.