Photo: Press

"We're just going to practise 15 seconds of loud applause and cheering after three, if you don't mind." There's something about going to a gig that's being filmed for TV that threatens to takes the edge off the spontaneity of live music.

The crowd are politely asked to stay quiet during songs for fear that it might compromise the sound quality; re-takes have to be done if a band messes up, and stage and audience are separated by a few metres of floor space in which cameras are whizzing up and down during each set. And yet, none of this truly damages the atmosphere at the latest Mercury Prize Session, and the last of a spectacular line-up of shows for Channel 4.

George Ezra

The sessions comprise three acts per show, and tonight it's the turn of Warpaint, Wild Beasts and George Ezra - who is the first to take to the stage. There's a hint of self-deprecating nervousness that surrounds his set, probably due in no small part to the fact that this will be broadcast to the nation. "Thanks for your polite 15 second applause", he jokes after his first song, adding: "These songs are all from my album. It's nice to be able to do an album."

Ezra is young and new to the scene, but his musicianship and deep vast-ranging vocals betray none of this. There are times when the songs threaten to become a little uniform - a problem which is exacerbated by the fact he chose to eschew a band for this set - but tracks such as 'Budapest' and 'Did You Hear The Rain?' demonstrate an uplifting, bluesy timelessness. These are the songs which set Ezra apart from the bottomless pit of men with guitars desperately trying to raise their head above the parapet of anonymity.

Next onto the stage is Wild Beasts, who were nominated for a Mercury for their 2010 album Two Dancers, and are here tonight to showcase their new album Present Tense. Wild Beasts have four LPs behind them, so it's hardly surprising that they seem comfortable, even a little weary, with the TV show format. They provide a cohesive, neatly polished set, and possess a flamboyant, self-reflective stage presence which makes even those who aren't here to see them take notice.

Wild Beasts

Wairpaint are the last act of the night, and also the warmest received. Warpaint are obviously happy with their new, self-titled album, and this satisfaction translates beautifully into their live show. They're a talented and charismatic group, whose unforced eclecticism endears them to the crowd.

As they finish their set with a surprisingly brilliant, barely recognisable cover of David Bowie's 'Ashes To Ashes', which they introduce with, "This is a cover of a song by an alien", the band thanks the crowd and begins to leave the stage, only to be told they have to perform 'Bees' again thanks to a technical fault. The second time round, they make it half way though before something goes wrong again. These are mistakes that, were it any other show, they would have breezed past seamlessly, and their frustration at this desire for flawlessness is beginning to show.

Warpaint

"Do we have to play 'Bees' again? We have lots of others," they beg to a man side of stage that they refer to as Mr. Mercury. Whilst Emily Kokal tries to fix her guitar pedal, and negotiate a different song with the powers that be, the remaining three begin to improvise an instrumental to fill the time. With their backs to the crowd, it's clearly more for their own pleasure than anyone else's, but it's this passion for music which makes their live shows so mesmeric. It's just a shame this passion is extinguished somewhat when they eventually decide to replace 'Bees' with 'Undertow', another song from their debut album which they have played "literally a hundred million times."

A band who seem to thrive on a degree of ordered chaos are probably not best suited to the restrictions of this format, but it's a captivating, sparky and industrious set nonetheless, and proves to be the most engaging, if not the most polished, of the night.