IT must have been a rollercoaster of a ride being part of Suede over the years.

From media darlings to musical pariahs, the band have been loved and loathed in equal measure since they first burst on to the scene as the trailblazers for Britpop in the early Nineties.

Having reformed in 2010, the band returned older, wiser and seemingly determined to prove that all that initial hype was not misplaced.

Fast forward to a Tuesday night in Blackburn and they left an audience in no doubt whatsoever that Suede are very much a living, thriving and finely-tuned band - and they are mightily impressive at what they do.

Lead singer Brett Anderson - dressed all in black, naturally - is a charismatic frontman. He preened, he posed and basically had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.

At times he was Bowie-esque both in delivery and manner standing on top of his monitors or kneeling on the stage as though summoning the energy to take him to the next level.

There were several forays into the crowd giving his soundman nightmares as his microphone cable threatened to disappear into the delirious mob welcoming their own messiah into the midst.

"Someone touched my bottom," he quipped, as he returned from one excursion.

This was a driving, powerful and compelling show featuring songs from both eras of Suede.

Early hits including So Young, Animal Nitrate and Film Star were rapturously received and offerings from the most recent album, The Blue Hour, were both compelling and relevant.

With long-term band members Mat Osman on bass, drummer Simon Gilbert and guitarist Richard Oakes providing a rock solid, shimmering wall of sound, Anderson was left free to unleash what it is still a remarkable voice.

Credit too to the sound guys who kept the vocals high up in the mix; at times it was chilling, at others enthralling.

Highlights included a version of I Can't Give Her What She Wants from 2016's Night Wish album with Anderson prone on the stage with Oakes providing a sparse backing on guitar, the rest of the band having left them to create a magical moment.

After getting the place jumping with Animal Nitrate, Anderson picked up an acoustic guitar and delivered a moving acapella version of God's Gift leading into The Power.

"You'll have to be quiet. I've no microphone for this," he said. You could have heard a pin drop.

An encore of Beautiful Ones and Life is Golden brought a memorable night in Blackburn to a close with Anderson standing on a monitor soaking up the adulation. It was well deserved.