Maybe it's his chubby cheeks, his schoolboy haircut or the fact he turned down a place at Cambridge to become a rock'n'roll star but there's something instantly likeable about Milburn frontman Joe Carnall.

Greeting the crowd with the words "Right on, Brighton" could sound a touch lame from someone less endearing but from this amiable Yorkshireman, it was pure charm.

He also proved himself to be a polite boy - while the crowd chanted the band's name, he chanted back the name of our fair city. And when the moshpit got over raucous, he touchingly urged fans to "take care if you're coming down the front".

Since debut single Send In The Boys was released about six months ago, Milburn have been kicking up a merry storm.

Currently, they are best known for being pals with fellow Sheffield boys Arctic Monkeys. Their punchy racket is in the same vein and Carnall's voice is in flat-cap territory but Milburn have actually been around for longer and seemed much more confident than Alex Turner and co.

Highlights included current single Cheshire Cat Smile, Showroom, with irresistible chorus chant "the book that you're reading is upside down" and the Send In The Boys B-side Seventeen.

The set was terrace-style punk-pop at its best, with boisterous singalongs, infectious melodies and big choruses.

It was a pleasantly unpretentious gig; no cooler-than-thou posing for them. Instead, they played like four blokes in a pub.

The result was passionate, direct, a bit rough round the edges and very refreshing. Frill-free British rock.