AN EXPLOSIVE performance by Atomic Kitten left the capacity audience purring with appreciation at the York Barbican last night. This was modern pop music at its very best: Loud, passionate and professional.

It is both dangerous and wrong to dismiss these three stunning lasses from Liverpool as simply another exercise in manufactured modern muzak like Hear'Say. For a start their songwriter in chief is Andy McCluskey, once of the magical OMD. Secondly their backing band, the Phat Cats (geddit?), were all talented musicians. Lastly, and crucially, these girls can sing.

Sleek and combustible by terms, as their name suggests, Atomic Kitten kicked off their 75-minute set with a couple of raunchy rockers, including Right Now and See Ya, before slowing the pace down with an emotional rendition of Eternal Flame. Natasha took the main vocal duties, but Liz and Jenny backed her up admirably with Liz singing a poignant solo song called Strangers.

As the set reached its climax, the girls unveiled an excellent new track called It's OK, which featured an accomplished guitar solo from Julian Emery, before launching into the best version of (We're The) Kids In America that I have ever heard. They left the stage to rapturous applause.

An encore was inevitable, not only because the crowd was screaming for more, but also because the Kittens hadn't played their huge worldwide hit Whole Again yet. They duly obliged, and brought the house down.

The melodic Whole Again remains one of the finest pop songs of 2001 and this memorable live version was packed with power and emotion.

Much of today's modern pop music is instantly disposable, but Atomic Kitten are a notable exception.

These long-haired lovelies from Liverpool are here to stay.

Updated: 11:45 Monday, February 25, 2002