Cracking band. Cracking venue. Cracking night.

The Tudors are a very good, very tight outfit – a group of mates (and brothers) with all the strut and swagger that goes with being in a talented band.

Cover your ears (best opt for ear defenders – these lads are loud) and you’d be forgiven for mistaking the preening, skinny jean clad quintet for just another wannabe Kings of Leon outfit.

It’s a blessed relief, then, that they are not.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s more than a passing resemblance to the KoL in both style and content but the lads run a little deeper than that.

Led by debonair front-man Tom Connare – a near psychedelic blend of Jim Morrison and Eastenders’ Ricky Butcher – The Tudors offer a much-needed, much-welcomed reminder of times gone by; of anthemic blues rock in the style of Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy and Lynyrd Skynyrd; of stand out riffs and arching, soaring, slightly self-indulgent guitar solos; of well-placed arrogance, and, most importantly of all, of genuine stage presence.

I like these guys, so did a decentish* turnout in the Hempstead Road, and so should you.

*Re the turnout. In case you’d forgotted Monday nights at the Horns is your chance to see the very best young talent playing live…..for free. If you’ve not been up there before then you bloomin’ well should. While you’re there – write me a review, send it to nskinner@london.newsquest.co.uk , and see your name in lights. It’s not hard – even I can do it.