Review: Just down the street from where Harry met Sally, New Yorkers were given their first taste of Glasgow's Fratellis - and as introductions go this was none too shabby.

JOHN PAUL BRESLIN

Just down the street from where Harry met Sally, New Yorkers were given their first taste of Glasgow's Fratellis - and as introductions go this was none too shabby. The odd decision had been taken to start at 8pm without any support act, which could have spelled disaster were it not for the fact that the gig had already sold out. It seemed like the patrons had forgotten the early start as time crept ever closer to the scheduled beginning, but a last-minute flood of people produced in a satisfying crush.

The first two chords of opener Henrietta may have been lost as a result of a quickly adjusted technical fault, but they didn't seem to notice as they squared up to the nonchalant critics and East Village hipsters. Use of the song Flathead in the latest iPod advert will no doubt act as a catalyst in the band's attempt to crack America and, given the rave reviews they secured at the South by SouthWest festival in Austin, Texas and a spot on the Late Show, their chances of securing a strong following across the pond seem secured. They played every track from debut album Costello Music as well as favourite Pretty Like a Girl and their showstopping cover of Goldfrapp's Ooh La La.

What had seemed like an immovable too-cool-for-school audience gave in to the lure of their simple but effective songs and as The Fratellis left the venue they were besieged by fans eager to have a snapshot before their guaranteed success puts them out of reach.