The Moons, 93 Feet East, London

The keyboard player usually associated with Paul Weller is "Merton" Mick Talbot, who, after leaving mod revival band The Merton Parkas, filled out The Jam’s sound in their twilight days and accompanied Weller’s journey through the Style Council. Andy Crofts of The Moons has made the journey in reverse: currently Weller’s live keyboard player, he also fronts and plays guitar with The Moons, a five-piece he formed in 2007.

Fêted by Edwyn Collins, The Moons push some classic British buttons. Crofts’ songs betray a fondness for The Kinks, but there’s a Buzzcocks edge too. Screw up your eyes and Crofts could be Johnny Marr. But The Moons are an entity in their own right – and they’re no mod band. Decoupled from Weller, Crofts is clearly capable of making his own way.

Booked as a prequel to the new single “Everyday Heroes”, issued in a few weeks, The Moons have much to look forward to. March 2010’s debut album, Life on Earth, is still fresh and Crofts is upbeat about the forthcoming single. “It’s a great song and I hope people get to hear it,” he says before the show. “It’s about the people, everyday people. But it’s down to the silly music industry whether it breaks through. After that we’re making the new album, all the songs are finished but some need fixing.” Judging by the audience, where plain folks outnumber off-the-shelf mods and look-alikes of latter-day minor Oasis members, it looks like the breaking through has begun.

Musing on the venue’s trendy east-London playground location, Crofts laughs, saying, “It’s cool, but I don’t think there’s any depth to it. I may be wrong, but it is what it is. I like it, though.”

Up before The Moons are The Kinsmen, a four-piece from Frankfurt sporting three brothers and their cousin. They moved to London in search of the not-here but nonetheless ubiquitous Edwyn Collins, who’s produced their forthcoming album. They’re charming, playing a beat-era Beatles-infused pop that’s as much Badfinger as it is lost Scandinavian popsters Daryll Ann.