As Placebo took to the Scenic Stage at Margate’s Dreamland, the crowd erupted into cheers as frontman Brian Molko welcomed “all the ladies and the gentlemen but especially those who, like myself, find yourselves somewhere in between”.

The enigmatic performer, famous for his androgynous look, already had the audience in the palm of his hand as his distinctive nasal drawl reverberated around the quirky seaside venue.

The alternative rock duo, comprising a moustachioed Molko and Swedish guitarist/bassist Stefan Olsdal, kicked off the Margate Summer Series of concerts at the vintage amusement park on Friday.

With millions of singles sold, collaborations with the likes of David Bowie and a song featuring on the soundtrack of a Hollywood blockbuster, their success has seeped into the mainstream – but their core following remains very much cult.

The opportunity to see such a big band in little old Margate, instead of having to trek to London or beyond, was seized upon by the hordes of devoted fans who descended on the seafront venue on a bright but blustery evening.

While the show was not a sell-out, unlike fellow rockers Queens of the Stone Age who are set to perform later this month, the astro-turfed event space was still packed.

The demographic seemed to be mainly 30 and 40-somethings, many of whom have likely been fans since Placebo burst onto the Britpop-saturated music scene in the mid-90s.

As the sun set on Margate, bathing the venue in a golden glow and casting big wheel and rollercoaster-shaped shadows, the band launched into a string of tracks from their latest album, Never Let Me Go.

Showcasing their most recent repertoire is to be expected, but the energy noticeably shifted when a bare-chested Olsdal announced: “We're going to take all of you way back", before playing the reassuringly familiar opening strums of Bionic from the band’s self-titled 1996 debut album.

The crowd seemed to wake up and take notice at this point, swaying and swelling with the music as they relived their youth.

But any hope of further nostalgia dwindled as the almost two-hour performance went on and it became apparent many of their biggest and most recognisable songs from their early era were absent from the setlist - most notably, Nancy Boy.

Molko has previously spoken of his ambivalence to the track, and when a section of the crowd began chanting for the song, he glanced towards them and perceptibly shook his head.

The likes of Pure Morning, Every You Every Me and Special K were also no-shows, much to the disappointment of myself and other concert-goers I spoke to.

Perhaps the band don’t want to rest on their laurels. And why should they, when their continued success proves they clearly still have much to offer?

As the evening grew darker, the powerful thrums of Bitter End echoed around the park - seemingly alluding to the show’s imminent conclusion – followed by the punchy beat of Infra-Red.

But the crowd definitely wanted more, and thankfully, the band returned for a three-song encore.

Still anticipating a golden oldie or two, it came as a surprise when they opted to round off the show with their cover of Shout by Tears For Fears. The audience seemed on board, though, with many joining in with the anthemic chorus. This was followed by Fix Yourself – a slow-burner from their 2022 album.

And as for the grand finale? It was another cover, this time Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill.

It’s an undeniable crowd-pleaser, especially after its recent Stranger Things-fuelled resurgence, and Placebo’s take on it is powerfully haunting. But for me, it was a somewhat bitter ending.

Aside from that, Molko and Olsdal delivered a tight, well-oiled and visually striking show with flawless vocals and solid performances from the backing band.

Their enduring appeal after almost three decades goes to show the Placebo effect is still strong.

Margate Summer Series continues, with acts including McFly, Tom Jones, Olly Murs, The Streets and Dizzee Rascal taking to the Scenic Stage in the coming weeks.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.margatesummerseries.co.uk.