Having read about all the trials and tribulations Scissor Sisters had in writing their new album, including ditching material after Elton John gave it the thumbs down, and then going back to the drawing board with producer du jour Stuart Price at the controls, it was clear Night Work had a difficult gestation. Given they’d successfully self-produced the first two albums, collaborating with Price looked like an attempt to do some bandwagon jumping, despite the fact band and producer go back a few years. I envisaged the Scissor Sisters’ sound getting ‘Thin White Nuked’ with Price’s nuclear dance beats.

Support for this gig came in the form of New Zealand duo Kids of ’88, who expand into a four-piece for live gigs. Their music sounds kind of how you’d expect the music of a band called Kids of ’88 to sound. It’s glossy, energetic, clean, 80s-sounding, disco-y, synth-heavy pop that certainly has some fine moments, and they definitely caught the attention of the crowd, which can’t always be said for support bands. The singer had all the right moves, and while some of the tracks came across as all style and no substance, if they can come up with more material like the epic Ribbons of Light, then the world will be theirs for the taking.

While I’ve yet to hear the new album in its entirety, on the strength of this gig all is good in Camp Scissor Sisters. The new songs lean very heavily towards the dance floor, as you’d expect with input from Price, yet they still contain the cheeky idiosyncrasy that characterises the group’s finest moments. There’s a surging energy in many of them, and while the band’s pop sensibility is still obviously intact, the smoother, ‘70s classic-pop sounds seem to have been dispensed with. For me, that’s a good thing, as there’s nothing worse than watching a band plough the same field continuously. While the older tracks got the biggest reactions from the audience, the songs from Night Work have a vibrancy, intensity and depth that add a whole new dimension to the band’s catalogue.

Of the new songs played, lead single Fire with Fire received the best response, most likely because of its melodic immediacy and uplifting tone. A twisted disco vibe ties all the new tracks together, other highlights including Skin Tight and Running Out. Showing they haven’t lost their ability to craft kooky pop hooks, Something Like This and Any Which Way sound like songs that’ll eventually work their way into the collective consciousness of the group’s fans.

Launching into Laura as the second track, it became obvious the band weren’t going to be shy in giving the crowd the ‘hits’. As such, scattered throughout the set were Take Your Mama, Kiss You Off, She’s My Man, and a euphoric I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ that had the audience in raptures. Often overlooked in the Scissor Sisters’ frontline, credit has to go to the solid guitar and bass work of both Babydaddy and Del Marquis, who balance out the funk with some smooth, restrained soloing.

As you’d expect from a Scissor Sisters show, there was a huge wave of sexual energy flowing throughout, from Jake Shears spending the majority of the gig shirtless, to Ana Matronic’s flirtatious teasing during a charged Tits on the Radio, her analogies of the band and audience reaching ‘second base’, and the erotic posing of the two back-up singers. In terms of performance, and giving out energy, the band is faultless, and the new material lends itself particular well to the group’s dynamic performance style.

As if to drive home their increased emphasis on dance music, the band returned for an encore that included a pumped-up version of their disco cover of Comfortably Numb, and a pounding take on their sleazy classic Filthy/Gorgeous that concluded the show in epic fashion. Sandwiched in between was the new album’s euphoric closer Invisible Light, which sounded even more dramatic live. If there’s one criticism of the whole show, it’s that the vocals seemed to be buried at the back of the mix at times. This was probably something to do with the venue and beyond the control of the band, but it was still disappointing to find yourself straining to make out some of the vocals.

Time will tell whether the new album connects with the same mass-appeal as the first two. My guess is it won’t, simply because the material isn’t as overtly glossy and mainstream. But that’s not meant as a criticism. Indeed, it’s great to finally hear the band fully explore that seedy, dirty disco sound they’ve always hinted at previously. With Shears racing around the stage like a Duracell bunny on speed, and Ana Matronic playing the sultry, sexy temptress role to perfection, and doing her best to lure the crowd out of its Tuesday night lull, the concert radiated an immensely infectious energy. Great gig from a great band. I’m off to buy my copy of Night Work.