Hadouken! kicked off Liverpool Sound City last night (May 27) in a performance which saw the Carling Academy that saw the ceiling dripping with sweat as the crowd kicked off the week-long festival in style.
Taking the stage at 10pm (BST), the new-ravers whipped the equally new-rave crowd into a frenzy with 'Declaration Of War', 'Liquid Lives' and a cover of The Prodigy's 1996 UK Number One single 'Breathe'.
Finishing on 'That Boy, That Girl', frontman James Smith left the stage topless and the crowd exhausted.
Queues jammed both the entrance and box office for the show, where gig-goers were searched for glowsticks before being allowed into the venue. Not that it stopped many being visible during the night.
Before Hadouken!'s headline set Does It Offend You Yeah? got the rammed venue warmed-up with a characteristically energetic show that included a cowbell-led 'Battle Royale' and finisher 'We Are Rockstars'.
Earlier local band Soft Toy Emergency were also received jubilant crowd reaction, with their songs 'Sorry', 'Fame School' and Justice cover 'DVNO'.
Meanwhile downstairs in the Academy 2 Crystal Castles tore through tunes such as 'Alice Practice' and 'Air War' during a riotous show that saw singer Alice Glass spend most of the time in the crowd.
Support for Crystal Castles came from The Ghost Frequency, The Dead Set and scousers Indica Ritual.
Liverpool Sound City continues tonight (May 28) with acts including Santogold, Ladyhawke and Lightspeed Champion set to play.
For more on the event, go to our special site at nme.com/liverpoolsoundcity.
