Wunderhorse touch upon something truly special at London's Brixton Academy

Tonight feels like a testament to every move that Wunderhorse have made. Words: Jamie Muir. Photos: Patrick Gunning.

During Wunderhorse's headline turn at London's Brixton Academy, there's a moment that captures something perfect. Halfway through a show that has already seen the entire room swept up in every note, Jacob Slater strides to the front of the stage. Guitar swinging, arms aloft - it's a tipping point for everything they've pushed towards, the sort of juncture that makes a band and takes them to a whole new level.

Here is a band who've done things the "old school way". Grafting with live sets while refusing to take a second to pause, they've risen to this occasion through something undeniably simple: raw anthems born to be screamed along with. Tonight is one of those proper Brixton Academy headline moments. It's been signalled from the beginning: no flashy shit, no smoke and mirrors. Live is where every pulse comes to life.

'Midas', a hypnotic 'Butterflies', and the swinging 'Emily' may set a marker, but with each step, the bar raises and raises. 'Cathedrals' snapshots Wunderhorse live best: pure melody meets a guttural punch that feels like a cry for closeness.

What really comes through is the reaction that rings from everyone gathered: it's part congregation and part unflinching rock spectacle. A run of 'Leader Of The Pack', 'Arizona', 'Girl' and a soaring 'Purple' are enough to raise the roof, all delivered in a manner that grips in its realness.

While the world is turning to embrace Wunderhorse as a blazing force in modern guitar music, that sense of the uncontrollable feeds through every fibre tonight. A firecracker 'Rain' threatens to spill out across Brixton. Attempts to stop fans rising on people's shoulders are basically futile when an exploding 'Teal' is screamed back and the stunning 'Superman' is nothing short of a widescreen cinematic spectacle.

Tonight feels like a testament to every move that Wunderhorse have made. As Jacob prowls the stage scratching at the thumps to open closer 'July', he has Brixton in the palm of his hands. Wunderhorse are touching upon something truly special.