The Long Blondes' famous charity-shop chic is catching on. The crowd sports a mixture of Oxfam dresses, distinctive red berets and leopard-print tights, as modelled by singer Kate Jackson. Alas, Jackson bounds on tonight in a tight blue blouse, 70s German air-hostess neck scarf and the kind of minuscule shorts Kylie might reject for being too outrageous. The pants from the boys are almost outnumbered by the gasps of girl fans tearing up a year of carefully compiled Long Blondes fashion notes.

Staying ahead of the game is the band's stock in trade. A year ago, the Sheffield Blondes (none of whom are actually blonde) were indie rock's "best unsigned band in Britain"; now their punk-pop is following key influence Blondie's later shift towards disco. If it is slightly unsettling that in male-dominated guitar pop, a girl still has to try to outdress Deborah Harry to make an impression, the outfit does mean that Siouxsie-tonsilled Jackson can waggle her posterior à la Minogue in time with the beat - a nice irony when she's espousing female empowerment in lines such as: "You're only 19, you don't need a boyfriend." The largely female audience sing every line.

The Long Blondes certainly understand the importance of detail. Male guitarist Dorian Cox has adopted Slade guitarist Dave Hill's old "Super Yob" slogan on his instrument. Leather-skirted guitarist Emma Chaplin coyly smoulders like a European model. Their bouncy latest single, Giddy Stratospheres, is the pick of the night, but a newer song's caring advice for lonely girls - "You have never felt less loved ..." - confirms that these Blondes can do style with substance.

· At Liquid Room, Edinburgh, tonight (box office: 0131-225 2564), and touring.