BACK in the time of Wayne’s World, Thunder filled the airwaves with rousing anthems for blackT-shirts to shake their manes to.

Nowadays the T-shirts are thousand-wash grey and the necks of the crowd feel the cold so much more. But they had come to see something new, something different, that even the band are uncertain about. This was unchartered waters for everyone.

From the opening Love Walked In, Luke Morley’s 12 string filled the auditorium as their sound engineer achieved the best acoustic sound I have heard in the Barbican.

Danny Bowes charmed from the first note– disarming with every one liner – playing the Barbican as if it were his favourite boozer. This was an intimate night, sat on stools, although an over-excited Danny’s shuffled about ten feet over the night!

This was so much more than re-heating yesterday’s favourites. This was writing new chapters to highlight that they are more than a four-to-floor rock band with more great songs than you may realise; they are superb musicians with a clear love of what they do and who they do it with. The chemistry on stage was clear. The more quiet the number, the more you noticed the richness and quality of Danny’s vocal.

Luke’s creativity runs through the band like Blackpool Rock: a gifted lefty guitarist with a stunning array of solos as his Hendrix thumbs ventured over the neck.

A surprise addition, phenomenal piano player Sam Tanner, added subtlety, rhythm and energy to the set.

It said "Please Remain Seated" on the album and on the tickets, so people obeyed, even though they may have struggled to restrain themselves as the country influences, maximum R & B and Ry Cooder feel had people itching to get up.

This was a partisan crowd with a love of the band. They knew they were leaning on an open door. Thunder aren’t just a name on a poster. The connection they have with their fans is unmistakable.

So much so that, for the last tune, a choir made up of avid fans appeared as the curtain dropped for a chorus of “Low Life In High places".

No pyrotechnics needed, as the fire burns within the hearts of every loyal Charlie Bucket in this throng.

This was Thunder but with a myriad of new colours in the sky on a night for Thor to kick back, put his hammer down and spend time singing along with some familiar friends.