Gig played on 03/08/05

Thank God for good, decent, hard working people. They go out of their way to give us lifts, they lend us money when we've frittered ours, they mop up our sick and they remember our birthdays. Yes, good people are pure gold, but there are two things they aren't very good at. Torrid, drug-fuelled weekends of lust holed up in a dingy Kings Cross B&B. And pop music.

Tonight, in the gorgeous location that is Somerset House at sunset, Athlete repeatedly show what good sorts they are. They engage in playful, low-key banter with the front row, encourage mass, tuneless singalongs and end their set by bouncing dozens of foam balls into the crowd. It's all very agreeable and cheerful, but what it isn't - for one solitary second - is exciting. And pop without excitement is like lust without sex, one great big frustrating let down.

Any hope of being surprised is dashed by opener "Half Light", a C&A catalogue model of a song - perfectly well assembled but boringly bland. "You Got The Style" follows it and is far more likeable, a reminder of the gawky, embarrassed charm Athlete displayed before their sound was fed into the diabolical blanding machine Parlophone keep in their basement to churn out fuzzy photocopies of Coldplay.

No doubt Athlete are tired of the "C" word, but when all of tonight's most popular moments tonight sound almost exactly like their labelmates, it's impossible to ignore. "Trading Air" and "Street Map" are built from the same tinkling piano riffs and big, voice cracking choruses with which Chris Martin launched his hostile takeover on the world. And then there's monster hit "Wires", which resembles a pale cousin of Snow Patrol's "Run", which in turn resembled "Yellow"'s runty little brother.

There are two redeeming moments. One is "Tourist", a light, airy little song which repeatedly resists the urge to go for the emotional jugular and is all the more moving for it. And there's "Beautiful", as derivative and cynical as the songs above but blessed with a truly irresistible chorus. Yet even during these peaks, it's easy to start idly wondering about what you'll have for breakfast tomorrow.

Athlete really do seem like good people. If you ever buy a dog, they'll walk it for you and never complain. Just don't invite them around to your house for a singalong.

by Jaime Gill