After taking a break from touring after releasing their last album in 2012, The Vaccines are currently on a UK tour of small venues ahead of the release of third album, English Graffiti, in May. As a test drive for new material, the tour visits towns including Hartlepool and Scunthorpe as well as major cities.

North East fans have not seen the band since their headline slot at Newcastle’s Evolution Festival in the summer of 2013, and by the time the band step onstage in the grand interior of Hartlepool’s Borough Hall, the crowd is buzzing. Kicking off the set with ‘Teenage Icon’, the band exude a breathless energy and confidence that contrasts completely with the shy and self-conscious lyrics that front man Justin Young presents listeners with on their  second LP Come of Age. Tumbling without a word straight into the punky rush of early single ‘Wreckin’ Bar’, the crowd wastes no time in matching the energy of the band, becoming a scrambled, shouty mess of pure joy, galvanised by the three chord blasts of reverb-y Ramones nuggets The Vaccines provide.

Whether it’s the personal, aching nature of some of Young’s lyrics or the fact that literally no one plays gigs in Hartlepool, the shout back every line and are extremely vocal in their appreciation for the band, with Justin stopping often to tell the crowd just how loud they are and how great it is to be back. During the mass sing-a-long of  ‘Wetsuit’ guitarist Freddie Cowan, boot coolly placed on his monitor, joins in with the fans on the arms aloft chorus, obviously loving the devotion on show to his band.

While the band’s best loved songs get a well-received airing, the show contains a large helping of new tracks. The AM-esque snakehipped groove of ‘Dream Lover’ goes down well and suggests the band’s time off has been put to good use maturing their song writing. Getting it’s live debut tonight, the thrilling two chord blast of ‘Radio Bikini’ is lapped up by the pogoing fans down the front. However, ‘I Want You So Bad’ fails to make an impression on the audience, which could greatly change come the release of English Graffiti.

The Vaccines know their way round a crowd pleasing set and instantly win the crowd back onside with the bitter and driving ‘Bad Mood’ which proves to be a highlight. As mentioned previously, the band have confidence to spare – Rock star poses and brotherly mic sharing  are abundant and the encore opens with a drum solo. Cowan is a star, Stratocaster in hand and legs wide apart. During the reckless fun and energy of recent single ‘Handsome’ he ends up in the crowd, stewards scrapping to get fan’s rabid hands off him. The atmosphere in the venue is electric and the smile on Justin Young’s face is as large as the one on the fans’. Ending the main set with an perfect ‘If You Wanna’ the band are that confident they even slip a new one, ‘20/20’ into the encore. Luckily, the track is so good it fits seamlessly into the set’s ending victory lap. Mic in hand and on the floor for last song ‘Norgaard’, Justin begs the band to give him everything they’ve got.

If The Vaccines ever want to come back to Hartlepool, it’s definitely alright. Effortless.

Callum Sullivan