Tim Hughes on a five-star performance from Stornoway at Sheldonian Theatre's 350th anniversary

The smiles said it all. From the minute they picked their way over the maze of cables, cases and instruments to take up their places centre stage at the Sheldonian Theatre, the four members of Stornoway couldn’t hide their delight.

Frontman Brian Briggs beamed as he welcomed fans to this (almost) unique show — at a venue previously only used for classical music, talks and university ceremonies. Indeed, the only other band to have played this most atmospheric of Oxford concert spaces was... well, Stornoway — the band having performed here five years ago as bunch of fresh-faced newcomers, and, then again, earlier this month, as a more wordly-wise, famous, but equally self-effacing bunch of lads.

Their sense of wonder — or, perhaps disbelief at having, once again, been given the keys to the Wren-designed masterpiece — continued through to their encore and post-show signing and selfie session.

The occasion was, of course, the building’s 350th anniversary. And one would be hard-pushed to think of a more appropriate band than the Cowley folk-pop band to celebrate it.

For a start, frontman Brian Briggs; keyboard player Jon Ouin, bassist Oli Steadman and his drumming brother Rob are thoroughly (adopted) Oxfordian, having earned their dues on the city’s music scene and cutting their teeth at our own Truck festival.

As well mannered as any chamber orchestra, they could also be trusted not to start a mosh pit or bout of frantic crowd surfing, endangering the venue’s architectural flourishes.

Their music, meanwhile, is whimsically folky enough to suit the lovely acoustics and allow for playfulness, such as bird sounds, leaf rustling effects on Farewell Appalachia and wood-clunking on Here Comes the Blackout — as well as accommodating Brian’s beautifully sparse vocals on songs such as The Road You Didn’t Take and Fuel Up.

The symbiotic charms of band and venue were put to best use, however, with the boys unplugging completely for a handful of acoustic numbers — creating a moment of pindrop calm, only slightly marred by the roars of carousing pub-crawlers outside.

The audience loved it all the same.

“I came here when I was a student, so I know how uncomfortable it is,” Brian told the audience, already starting to shift on the hard, backless rings of benches. “So I share your discomfort!”

The high point came with the arrival of the Oxford Millennium Orchestra – whose strings providing a soaring accompaniment to Coldharbour Road, We Were Giants, A Belated Invite to Eternity and, their best-loved tune, Zorbing – the closest they get to a sing-along anthem.

The band were called back for an encore with a passion which clearly took them by surprise, and we were treated to the lilting Great Procrastinator and Love Song of the Beta Male — cue yet more beaming; their grins matched only by ours.

It was a night for the history books. With an anniversary show as good as this, the organisers of the Sheldonian’s 400th birthday bash have their work cut out indeed.