Air Traffic, iBar, Bournemouth

BOURNEMOUTH four-piece Air Traffic returned home on Thursday night to play an intimate "secret" gig.

Eager fans queued for two-and-a-half hours to ensure they were one of the 100 granted access to the gig. The venue's streaming system did allow some disappointed fans to watch the gig on a screen located on the upper floor.

Air Traffic arrived on a stage to instruments decorated with fairy lights, and opened with album track Never Even Told Me Her Name.

Their next number, Just Abuse Me, started with vocals and piano from lead singer Chris Wall, before the rest of the band added extra body to a solid performance.

Air Traffic steamed through the set at quite some pace - probably due to the incredible heat experienced by the tightly packed gathering - only stopping for guitarist Tom Pritchard to demonstrate some punky riffs akin to Rage Against The Machine guitarist, Tom Morello.

The band went on to play I Can't Understand, top 30 hit Shooting Star, and the ever-popular Charlotte, before Pritchard and bassist Jim Maddock abandoned their instruments in favour of drums for the encore - an epic version of latest single No More Running Away.

It was a treat for the lucky few to see the boys in such a personal setting before they embark on their US and European tours.