The mid-90s has had a real reinjection of energy with its resurrection over the last few years. Oasis, Blur and Pulp returned, Shed Seven topped the album charts for the first time, and Richard Ashcroft is receiving the most critical acclaim since his heyday in The Verve. However, a band that is doing the same for the iconic female-fronted acts of Britpop is Sleeper. With Louise Wener easily one of the most celebrated frontwomen of the mid-90s, her band returned in 2017, nearly 20 years after they split in 1998, and has since shown their pedigree has not waned with the release of two rather splendid albums. With their debut album, Smart, celebrating its 30th anniversary, they are back out on the road to celebrate on The Inbetweener tour.

Late 90s/early 90s louche rockers Rialto delivered a solid set ahead of Sleeper's moment in the spotlight. Having returned in 2023 to the stage, they released their third studio album, Neon & Ghost Signs, earlier this year. With a set that traversed their back catalogue, it was clear that the new material held its ground, with No One Leaves The Discotheque Alive proving a set standout. Rather inevitably though, it was their two big anthems – Untouchable and Monday Morning 5.19 – that really got the audience excited.

After a brief interlude, the lights dimmed and Sleeper slunk onto stage. Dressed in a Space Cowboy T-shirt, glittery silver skirt and converse, Louise Wener boasted the effortless aura of perfection that saw her become the face of Britpop back in the 90s. Immediately launching their audience back to 1995, the quintet showed that the evening was going to be one epic sing-and-bounce-along by delivering a stirring rendition of Bedhead.

While back in the mid-90s, Wener proved herself a perfect prequel to Sophie Ellis-Bextor, with her stoic presence while delivering biting lyrics with edgy, cool pop leanings; she now leans into the looser performance (as per Ellis-Bextor) and often cracks a winning smile and breaks the fourth wall with her very appreciative audience.

As the set leans heavily into their earlier work, there is enough insight for fans of old to really appreciate the strength of their newer work. While The Sun Also Rises is an anthem that the world could really do with right now, it is the epic Cellophane and Look At You Now that will join the classics as set mainstays.

While the audience certainly lapped up the newer material, they went crazy for the bop What Do I Do Now, the delicious Statuesque and the pointed She's A Good Girl. With Wener noting that Statuesque was their own Blondie moment, it is used to segue into their unforgettable cover of Atomic, which joins the aforementioned as the most sung-along.

Slinking off stage while her band keeps the audience dancing for a little while longer, the quintet all take a brief moment out as the audience demands more. Of course more is delivered, with a stripped-back rendition of Vegas really showing the vocal prowess of Louise Wener and the band's newer addition, Amy Smith. Without any introduction needed, the audience join Sleeper to romp through the tour's title song, Inbetweener, before a truly joyous rendition of Sale of the Century closes the night.

Sleeper are here to enjoy themselves, and their enjoyment is infectious. Celebrating 30 years of really rather tasty tracks, this tour delivers a truly unforgettable experience.

Sleeper were performing at The Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton. For a list of Sleeper concert tour dates click here