As the slobbering music cognoscenti await deliverance, or in other words the new Radiohead album, a hailstorm of bands have been heralded as Thom Yorke and co's bastard spawn.

While it's unquestionable that Coldplay have more than a passing interest in contorted vocals, enveloping guitar walls and an all-round 'Jesus, I'm f***ed-off' mentality, there is considerably more to them than flippant plagiarism.

Whether their sonic armoury is strong enough to protect them in the long-term is perhaps questionable, but today's performance offered moments of magical promise. Stella single 'Yellow', with its' incessant, driving guitar sheen, the drained wails and juddering riffing of 'Shiver' and sheer anthemic drama of 'Trouble', all thrive.

In fact, the playful if clumsy charisma of vocalist Chris Martin completely sets Coldplay apart from their peerless inspiration, such is Yorke's impenetrable appeal. And though, even at this early stage, there is little suggestion that the band may match Radiohead's uncharted mission into a musical black hole, this time next year they will probably be far higher on the bill.