"I don't understand what you just said," admits Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon in response to a particularly Glaswegian proclamation from the crowd. "But it was beautiful. I love ya, and we're going to play a bunch of songs for ya."

As manifestos go for the band's Springsteen-inspired punk it's suitably direct and straightforward, the New Jersey group eschewing the frills right down to not going off for an encore - or "a game of peekaboo" as the singer describes it.

Back in Scotland for the first time since the release of their comeback album History Books, The Gaslight Anthem have long been a band which inspires deep devotion among the faithful, and it's to them the setlist is catered this evening.

Kicking off with 'I Live In The Room Above Her' and racing through some deep cuts there's very little in the way of chat from the normally effusive Fallon to begin with - perhaps a reaction to the group's Edinburgh show last year which saw some complain about too much chat and not enough tunes.

Read More: From rock star to the croft: why singer Fish is taking the road to the isles

'1930' from debut Sink Or Swim is an early highlight, as is 'The Patient Ferris Wheel' but the brooding 'Underneath The Ground' from divisive fifth album Get Hurt does appear to be the cue for many to top up their pints.

For the most part though this is an audience of the converted, with arms around the shoulders and voices bellowing back every word.

Support act Emily Wolfe joins the band for a two-track interlude which includes fan favourite 'Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts', Fallon switching the line "someday I'll buy you that house on Cookman and we could sleep on the beach all night" to "someday I'll buy you a house in Glasgow, the free health insurance would be so nice".

It may not technically be an encore - no peekaboo here thank you - but The Gaslight Anthem save the big ones for (almost last), the sweat curling in tendrils from the raucous crowd as they blast through '45', 'The '59 Sound' and 'The Backseat' in short order.

The last is the closer to seminal album The '59 Sound and the capacity crowd could be forgiven for thinking that's the end, but Fallon and co launch into rarity 'We're Getting A Divorce, You Keep The Diner' - performed here for just the third time since 2018 - and it proves to be just as apt a finale, fists pumping along to its chanted coda: "It's alright man/I'm only bleeding man/stay hungry stay free and do the best you can".

All in all it's probably not one for the casual fan - just three songs on the setlist were ever released as singles and there's no place for the likes of 'American Slang', 'Handwritten' or 'Great Expectations'.

Judging by the reception in the room though most tonight are long-term worshippers at the altar of The Gaslight Anthem and afford the band the freedom to delve deeper into their back catalogue.

The title track on The '59 Sound takes in the possibility of one's musical life flashing before their eyes at the point of death - "did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?/Did you hear your favourite song for one last time?" - and a fair few shuffling out into the drizzly Glasgow night will have memories to last a lifetime.

The Gaslight Anthem play Edinburgh's 02 Academy on Tuesday March 19, then touring. Tickets are available here