When Will I Be Famous: LCD Soundsystem, The Go, The Raveonettes

The Independent's guide to tomorrow's bands

LCD Soundsystem of New York have already released possibly the best single of 2002. "Losing My Edge" is a glorious self-pitying rant voiced by an ageing scenester deeply fearful of missing the next big thing, all framed by a nagging synth sequence that frequently bursts into surprising sonic violence. In fact, it's entirely the work of one James Murphy, half of acclaimed production team the DFA. Playing only their second show, the live LCD band includes a drummer, bassist, two keyboard players and the imposing figure of Murphy, swigging from a whisky bottle between songs and looking about twice the age of the audience at this glorified student disco. They love it, none the less, as relentless new single "Give It Up' motors along, while Murphy's bark is surprisingly effective. "Losing My Edge" itself brings down the house, but it's their sound, with brutally distorted keyboards taking the place of guitars, which makes for real 21st-century rock'n'roll. Whether Murphy will give up his presumably more lucrative day job is uncertain, but LCD Soundsystem are a danceable garage band in a long and great tradition from the Action through Gang of Four to Happy Mondays. Ace.

The Go are a slovenly-looking gang of ageing Detroit hoods, best known here, if at all, as Jack White's first musical port of call. (Whatever happened to him?) Not so much condemned to rock as condemned by it, they are sloppy, dated even by the standards of their chosen form, and fantastically predictable. Obviously these are pluses, and it's hard not to warm to brilliantly dumb singalongs like "Hey Linda" and "Rock'n'Roll I Got It", foot stompers every one. Having clearly taken a vow to make it or die of old age, whichever comes first, they are a great boozing soundtrack, living proof that Johnny Thunders did not die in vain. Rock'n'roll? They got it.

If sonic archaeology, no matter how enjoyable, is about all we can expect from rock these days, then Denmark's hotly tipped Raveonettes are no less anachronistic than the Go. Their hobby is recreating the sound of the first Jesus and Mary Chain album, the one that took old Buddy Holly riffs, drowned them in feedback and added breathy, quite possibly melodic vocals over the top. Whether the world needs a band to soften up the kids for the heroically derivative Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (who steal the sound of the second Mary Chain record) is moot, but Sharin Foo is as attractive as her bass playing is rudimentary, thus guaranteeing the eternal adoration of male teenagers (many of them in their thirties). The Holly reference in their name is no coincidence. They even kicked off with a dirgey stab at his "Everyday". They're fun for all that, their pointless conceptual re-enactment strangely endearing, though it's rare to see a band that would work better in a smaller venue than this.