Hailing from the same north-east music scene that spawned Maximo Park and the Futureheads, Sunderland three-piece Field Music have struggled to replicate the success of their peers. Still largely a niche concern, despite two acclaimed albums (2005's eponymous debut and this year's Write Your Own History), it obviously rankles. "Thank you. You're very kind. Well, some of you are. The rest are just ignorant," says drummer/vocalist Peter Brewis, referring to the large number of people loudly chatting throughout the venue.

His brother David, from behind the drum kit, follows with a short diatribe about the injustices of the music industry. Such grumbling is normally enough to merit an early exit, but the group are justified in thinking that they deserve better. Part psychedelic jamboree, part leftfield rock band, Field Music flit between inventive drum-led stomps, McCartney-esque pop and intricately designed instrumentals with dexterity.

During songs such as Pieces or current single In Context, it is hard to believe that there are only three of them on stage, so dense are the layers of sampled strings, piano, twanging guitars and dreamy three-part harmonies. The same ingredients are what have made the group's records so appealing, but watching the trio expertly reproduce them live brings an extra frisson of unpredictability, with songs regularly bleeding into each other, or simply suddenly shuddering to a halt.

The brothers, who take turns singing at the front of the stage, are far from comfortable with onstage banter, often resorting to mumbled, indecipherable introductions, while keyboard player Andrew Moore opts to say nothing at all. But the overall beauty of their music wins through, and a resplendent You're So Pretty is a magical closer, even if it is not quite enough to drag everyone away from the bar.

· At the Grapes, Sheffield (box office: 0114-249 0909) tonight.