I join Kindred Shins in the secluded beer garden of Camden’s Lock Tavern; the lagers are flowing and judging by the overflowing ashtrays scattered about the table, so has the smoke from many a cigarette. This is preparation for tonight’s gig – up the road at the Barfly – and it seems to work well for the blues rock enthusiasts.

Eliminate the equipment, bands and crowds and the upper floor of the Barfly is nothing more than a plain, dog-eared old room with a stage – at first glance you wouldn’t believe this was once voted London’s best small venue by NME. Flick on the neon sign on the back wall and you get a touch of ambience, but ultimately it’s going to take some very special performers to bring this place to life. Kindred Shins were just the men for that challenge.

A few apparent glitches with frontman Sonny McFadyen’s mic early on may have frustrated the band on what was an important occasion for them in the capital, but once his vocals came into perfect harmony with the distinctive Black Keys-cum-Queens of the Stone Age guitars, there was no stopping this lot in their quest to bring the Barfly roof down.

Spirited boogying and bouts of headbanging ensued as the boys tore through a short but scintillating set of material taken from their 2013 EP ‘Yes to Rioting Notoriety’ and beyond. They have confessed to “not doing setlists” so for all we know, they could have been making the music up as they went along. I’m sure they had some kind of plan, but even if they hadn’t, this would still have been a thriller of a show.

In spite of the lack of setlist for me to go on, ‘She Floats Just Like the Witch’ – the standout track from the band’s short time together so far – was instantly recognisable and stole the show with its rhythmic blues tones and hum-like riffs. One of the band’s heavier songs, it certainly proved a hit with the hundred or so eager onlookers.

Kindred Shins may gear up for big nights like these in the most casual of manners but their gutsy performance left nothing to be desired. Other acts had taken the stage earlier in the night but none brought out the audience’s inner rock stars as well as these fine fellas. Their Facebook page lists The Black Keys, Them Crooked Vultures, Queens of the Stone Age and Jack White as musical favourites; if they can achieve even a smidgen of the success of these legends, Kindred Shins will be more than content.

Whatever guise it has appeared in, the blues sound has always been a cornerstone of music through history and it’s great to see newcomers like this learning from modern greats, while carefully cultivating their own unique new sound. And before I finish, I must say: great beards gents.