If nothing else, you would have to admire the bravery of the Dead 60s. Signed to the same label as the Coral and the Zutons, the Liverpool quartet have made a determined effort to distance themselves from their Mercury-nominated peers, eschewing La's-influenced psychedelia. "We're interested in sloganeering, we're not interested in proper songwriting," runs one choice quote. Laudable stuff, but the sound they have chosen instead could make anyone swallow hard. It's hard to think of a form of music more universally despised than white reggae - progressive rock may have its supporters, oi! punk its adherents but you never hear anyone stand up and defend the genre that gave us Sting, Senser and EastEnders star Sid Owen's cover of Sugar Minott's Good Thing Going.

All this accounts for the audience's reaction to the Dead 60s; there's a distinct hint of disbelief about their delighted applause. The band look fantastic - not a scrofulous dreadlock in sight - and, more importantly, appear to have the music to back up the fighting talk. Most white reggae and ska is a byword for potheaded sloppiness or irritating wackiness, but the Dead 60s sound is taut and powerful. They are awesomely tight. Songs don't so much end, as surge into each other with startling shifts in mood and tempo: from cavernous dub, to the ska of forthcoming single Riot Radio, to a ferocious and energised take on the early 1980s punk-funk favoured by Franz Ferdinand. Organist Ben Gordon's sound lands pleasingly midway between reggae hero Jackie Mittoo and the Velvet Underground's John Cale, while vocalist Matt McManamon exudes a pretty irresistible brand of self-assurance: leering over his guitar, eyes wide as he plays, moving away from the microphone and screaming at the crowd, his head thrown back.

Admittedly, some of their sloganeering appears to be borrowed from the Specials and the Clash, their two most obvious precursors, but this seems like quibbling in the face of a band who represent a staggering victory against the odds.

· At York Fibbers tomorrow. Details: 01904 651250. Then touring.