"If there's no danger when you're on stage that you might knock yourself out, you're not putting enough into it."

So says Ryan Jarman, singer and guitarist with The Cribs and a man who's more interested in being "a good live band," than "a tight, professional rock act".

Once described by fellow Yorkshiremen the Kaiser Chiefs as "the most underrated band ever", this trio of brothers now have two Top 30 singles to their name, a bulging file of glowing reviews for second album The New Fellas and, somewhat bizarrely, receive repeated requests by the Hollyoaks script writers to play on their show.

Having played their first gig on New Year's Day 1989 (Ryan and his bassist twin Gary were nine, drummer Ross was five, and their audience consisted largely of their parents), The Cribs, now in their 20s, still preserve the bratty element in their music.

Though scoring few points for musicianship, their combination of disjointed guitar lines and terrace chant choruses is perfect for the moshpit.

And while you wouldn't want these lads at your houseparty (blood splatters have been spotted on Gary's bass), they do keep getting invited out on tour with Kaiser Chiefs, with label mates Bloc Party and as a key attraction of spring's NME Rizla tour.

Part of the original guerrilla-gig set which included Razorlight, The Others and The Libertines, The Cribs once invited the crowd into their van for a post-gig singalong.

But their open-handedness is reserved for true fans only: "Living on the road, we've met so many clueless people, so many hangers-on," explains Gary.

It's an attitude which drove their first hit, Hey Scenesters, and is also present in their August 22 release Martell, on which Ryan yelps, "How can it be/To get a slap on the back from a room full of morons".

Elsewhere on the album, which was produced by Edwyn Collins at the legendary Toerag studios, you'll find nods to The Beatles, The Sex Pistols and The Smiths, brotherly vocal harmonies, a good deal of lo-fi scuzz and a strong line in cheeky humour which sees Ryan advise, on I'm Alright Me, that you: "Take drugs, don't eat/Have contempt for those you meet".

"It's got a different direction from the first one," he says. "We recorded one song on a beach somewhere and another one's got accordions. It's still really poppy but it's weirder and probably a lot more angry."

With support from the jerky, drum machine pop of Leeds' Black Wire
Starts 7.30pm, tickets cost £8. Call 01273 673311.