When they emerged in 1994 with Suds & Soda, a single that combined a screeching violin, a perfect pop hook and a man shouting "Friday!", Belgian five-piece dEUS sounded as if they might change the world.

It never quite happened: a sequence of well-received albums sold respectably, in an indie sort of way, and in 2000 the band took a lengthy break, during which frontman Tom Barman directed a movie, collaborated with electro DJ CJ Bolland and performed covers with pianist Guy Van Nueten.

The group also shed various band members, requiring the cancellation of several summer dates on this comeback tour. Yet at this rescheduled gig they hardly seem rusty, cranking out a satisfying mix of old material and songs from their forthcoming album.

dEUS are not, it has to be said, the most visual of bands. The front four begin the evening as a line of sensible haircuts and sober shirts, and drummer Stephane Misseghers' face was barely visible in the blue light.

Take a closer look, though, and it's all action. Barman and fellow guitarist Mauro Pawlowski have an array of effects pedals beneath their feet that help to create a sound that nods to the Velvet Underground's sullied melodies, U2's epic poise, the Eagles' warm melancholy and the angular art rock of a hundred earnestly alternative Americans. It's an admirable hotchpotch, although it can feel a little busy. The group seem determined that each song should become a sonic battleground, with quiet spells, swelling chorus lines and roaring, turbo-charged codas. Even the blissful Little Arithmetics wiggles its way towards a miniature apocalypse, Barman pointing to the sky before wrestling squealing notes from his guitar.

But while they could do with more thought and less bustle, there's no denying dEUS's talent. The new songs are punchy and promising, Suds & Soda is gloriously ragged and the crowd are happy. World domination may no longer be an option, but there's no reason why dEUS shouldn't continue to burn brightly on pop's margins.