If Carlsberg did years…you know the rest. Two number one albums, numerous sold out shows including this one tonight, in Aberdeen the night before and Edinburgh the night after; Shed Seven are on a maximum high. They said pre-show on social media and following the set opener that they’d been waiting for Glasgow. The crowd was not just ready to receive but to welcome the Yorkshiremen as if they were hometown heroes. From the off this was Glasgow sings Shed Seven; regardless of classics or this year’s new ones from A Matter of Time, singer Rick Witter was reduced to harmonies on several occasions.

At just the third song in, ‘Devil In Your Shoes’ felt like a set closer such was the euphoria with which the chorus was belted out by the sold out Academy crowd. It didn’t let up much, except for the banter and now traditional birthday shout-outs from Witter. Now in his 50s, the frontman is more confident and adept a band leader than he’s ever been. He speaks with affability to audience members from a wide range of ages; from the Britpop heydey-ers to their offspring who’ve been inducted into this church of the Seven.

Classics like ‘Ocean Pie’, ‘Bully Boy’ and ‘Dolphin’ draw strong cheers (at some points the feet stomping and fist-pumping was even stronger in between songs), mirroring the connection of fans old and young as the modern tracks raise the roof with equal ferocity. The Sheds-appointed ‘Queen of Manchester’ – Bee Rowetta – joins the band for bangers ‘In Ecstasy’ and ‘F:K:H’ as well as encore arms-in-the-air dance-athon ‘Disco Down’. Lead guitarist Paul Banks has similarly grown in confidence and stature as the years have passed. He coordinates a lot of the band’s off stage work as well as songwriting and you can tell he’s (to put it mildly) absolutely chuffed with their current run.

Slower songs like ‘Starlings’ and ‘Let’s Go Dancing’ prove they have the emotional depth to stir the crowd, including the teary lady stood next to me with her and her pal arm in arm during the former. But of course, it is the set closer, ‘Chasing Rainbows’, which the band need not participate in really but thankfully do and in those 3-4 minutes unites every single person in the room. Then it’s back to the cold, Glasgow night; a chill in the air but by the looks of it a warm Britpop buzz in many a Scottish heart.