Named after a group of doomed revolutionaries in 1825 Russia, The Decembrists are a band who wear their intellects on their sleeves.

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, The Decemberists sing about Japanese Geisha girls, the beauty of the way bones connect in the body and salty sea shanties.

Similar in nature and sensibility to The Divine Comedy, the group write songs with stories that draw the listener in, complemented by thoughtful, catchy harmonies.

Singer Colin Meloy lingers over his American vowels with a voice of warm clarity. While the subjects of their songs may sound whimsical, the band escapes being twee - tracks like The Soldiering Life, about a romance in the trenches of the First World War, combine bleakness and joy to haunting effect.

With their penchant for dandy handlebar moustaches, The Decemberists will suit anyone missing Neil Hannon or looking for intimate, moving songs that aren't just about getting lucky in 21st-Century London.

Starts: 8pm, Tickets: £6.50/£5.50, Tel: 01273 603974