THE snow was swirling outside on a chilly Manchester evening, and deep in the bowels of Oxford Road station it was beginning to look a lot like ‘Cribsmas’.

It’s now something of a tradition for Wakefield’s finest to stage their own indie punk Christmas celebrations, but this year sees the Cribs’ festivities stepped up a gear with a series of residencies across the country.

An intimate gig venue confined by the arches of a railway viaduct, its show three of four for siblings Ryan, Gary and Ross Jarman at Gorilla and in typical Cribs style their arrival onstage to We Were Aborted is greeted with pandemonium.

Their set spans 13 years and seven albums, covering everything from old favourites such as Hey Scenesters through the anthemic Be Safe to newer tracks from latest release 24-7 Rock Star S**t.

While the Cribs could easily pack out much bigger venues like the Apollo – or even the arena at a push – it is testament to the brothers Jarman that they actively connect with a loyal band of fans by playing venues where they are inches away from their frenzied crowd. And the Yorkshire trio’s mission to bring a bit of Christmas cheer is a roaring success once again.

ADAM EVERETT