It's not exactly new. A dark, alternative vibe has been festering in the shadowy corners of London for a while now, but away from the sometimes claustrophobic limitations of the so called gothic scene. This freedom has seen the likes of White Lies shine their blackened lanterns into the heights of chart success and arena tours. Although most would not directly associate this band and others such as Editors or Romance as 'gothic' there are enough people in its dark populace who like these acts to suggest they are just as relevant as e.g. Luxury Stranger, Rhombus, The Eden House. This is the exact position O'Children find themselves. 2010 was a watershed year for the band. The release of their excellent eponymous debut album cemented their status in both indie and goth circles, leaving them with the opportunity for 'shock horror' a stab at some commercial success.

The 13 date tour with fellow dark alt act The Chapman Family arrived at the XOYO in Shoreditch tonight and ends another small chapter. Its dark, foreboding lighting and futuristic vibe lends itself to such an event, although the crowd are generally a mix of indie kids and regular Shoreditch gig goers with a liberal splattering of Sisters t-shirts.

As The Chapman Family slide into action it is immediately obvious the band are confident, slick and polished, so much so they seem to have toured relentlessly to gain this much professionalism and poise. Front man Kingsley Chapman is a star in the waiting, his thin but chiselled looks and gaunt, shuddering Ian Curtis-esque mannerisms point to several NME covers and a brisk trade of a white t-shirt featuring the front man from the merch stall to the left of the stage. Unlike the headliners The Chapman Family have one foot firmly in the indie world and at times the songs escape the clutches of darkness and head straight towards brighter territory. This is no bad thing as it stretches their sound and makes for an impressive set tonight.

It has been mentioned that O'Children lack the stage presence to make their live performances truly memorable and when they crawl on stage, almost apologetically, as if they have broken a lamp after kicking a football around the house despite their parents repeatedly telling them not to, you can see why. This though is a small niggle as O'Children showcase just how many great tracks they managed to squeeze onto their debut album. Set opener 'Malo' is bristling with melody, the plucky guitar defining verses give way to this large electro-bound chorus, but with a dark glass ceiling that prevents the song from ever losing cohesion. 'Fault Line' sounds a little pedestrian on record but live it really comes to life thanks to the towering presence of singer Tobias O'Kandi, his smooth, menacing vocals pushing the track into new territories. 'Dead Disco Dancer' causes an outbreak of dancing near the front, it's military style drumming sits nicely aside the synths, frog marching the listener into O'Children's very own world. Tobias O'Kandi's confidence visibly increases as the night goes on; from being glued to the mic stand early on to striding across the stage and swiping he's big hands at the audience during the anthemic 'Ruins'. New track 'PT Cruiser' is a nod to The Doors, it's laid back vibe sitting perfectly on the tongue of the crooning singer. Finishing with 'Don't Dig' would have ended things off on a melancholy note, but the exuberant 'Ace Breasts' with its Cramp-esque poked guitars and jagged melodies signs things off in the most up-tempo fashion one could of hoped for.

Tonight, with this the last date of the tour O'Children rounded off the first enlivening chapter of their story, but with the likes of 'PT Cruiser' they have shown they have tons of interesting ideas waiting for what will probably be an even more successful future.

Photo of O Children by JY Marquis