Do bigger bands create a better atmosphere, a bigger stage somehow? Or do small bands reign supreme with intimate settings when there are only three or even two members lighting the stage?

Look at The White Stripes, they can fill out a festival field with only a two member band. But then take Iron Maiden, a staggering six members long create probably one of the best live shows known to fans.  Maximo Park are one of these bigger bands that do create a better atmosphere, a better experience where the music and band reign as one unstoppable force.

With their indie rock style fused with post punk revival, Maximo Park sound and look every bit the poster boys of their generation of music. Lets see if their live show can match…

It’s an unusually cold Friday night in October, but as soon as you enter the famous Doncaster Dome you’re immediately sweating with the bodies surrounding you in close quarters - and the band hasn’t even taken the stage yet.

Maximo Park are a band that are surely well known in Britain and beyond, not as major as the Kaisers or Kooks but still with a fan base big enough to fill this 2000 person capacity. You get the feeling they could still find bigger.

As the lights go down you immediately feel the buzz and atmosphere within the crowd that is surprisingly not all trendy indie kids. Everyone pushes forward to get a glimpse at the Newcastle heroes. The electric light backdrop begins twirling with nu-rave shapes and colours as the band lead into The Coast Is Always Changing, and the crowd goes predictably wild. There’s that atmosphere.

As the set continues you soon realise why having more band members can be better. Each member brings something to the table, a certain element in their own way that just makes the band shine. Singer Paul Smith is undoubtedly the finest showman of his time.

The frontman has such a stage presence as he twirls, jumps, dances, grooves and acts his way right throughout the set. He’s purely meant for performing live. In love with the fans he dances and shines to every beat and entertains the crowd throughout a breathless performance. It’s always good to see when a front man loves the stage he plays on.

Keyboardist Lucas Wooller beats the air with his fists and at times collapses on his keyboard in pure rock and roll style. Drummer Tom English keeps his cool behind his kit with an occasional smile as he happily plays to a few thousand people as if it’s as normal for him as eating breakfast.

Bassist and founding member Archis Tiku stands back and observes, and as he throws his body with his bass in a humble manner, he seems like the glue on stage. Lead guitarist Duncan Lloyd adds that rhythm and stylish thrashy electric guitar that we all love like a seasoned professional. All the band members add something to the mix, not just musically but to the scene and to each other.

The band delivers probably the tightest music you’ll ever hear. They don’t stray from a single note, which could be either good or bad. Playing a solid set filled with their classics from A Certain Trigger, Limassol is the bands strongest song live, the slightly edgy track gets the crowd pushing and throwing bodies round like gladiators.

Others such as Postcard Of A Painting and Apply Some Pressure add to the bands sterling live reputation with a growing portfolio of songs.

The band finishes with the obligatory ‘fake’ encore consisting of three great songs to round off a climatic set. Our Velocity gives us a fresher version of Maximo Park with a slightly electronic feel whilst still keeping that thrashy indie rock feel.

Paul Smith then comes on stage for Acrobat, an emotional song that as he sings he even pretends to recite a monologue from a book. Finishing off dramatically with Graffiti, the band pushes right to the end and really look like they’ve enjoyed themselves.

A big band with an even bigger sound, Maximo Park are on the up and get stronger with each set. Lets hope that as the albums come the band can rise to new levels and serve their fans in bigger venues, where their numbers will really count for something.