As a curly-haired Mike D recalled – to cheers from kids too young to know if he was telling the truth – Beastie Boys first played Brixton Academy 21 years ago, alongside Run DMC. “Go on, Google it,” he shouted. Back then, the New York trio were despised by the tabloids for bringing bikini-clad babes in cages on stage. They were scary to parents for their party-minded propaganda and fun enough to convince fans that middle-class white boys could rap.

Now in their forties and, in the case of MCA, aka Adam Yauch, entirely grey-haired, the Beasties have hung on to their cred, but reached a crossroads. Their latest album, The Mix-Up, is comprised of funky, dub-heavy instrumentals that, live, did little more than give the band a chance to catch their breath and fans a break to make it to the bar without missing a hit. All three played instruments during half the tracks, but even that often felt like an excuse to avoid having to jump around for too long. Clearly, it was the classics the crowd had come to hear and the result was that Beastie Boys felt like a band past their peak.

Dressed in smart, sharp suits, white shirts and skinny ties, with all but MCA sporting shades, the bratty gang had become the Blues Brothers, albeit still with teenage waistlines. But their sense of fun remained intact, and when they delved into their old-school hip-hop heyday for songs such as Brass Monkey, Body Movin’, Super Disco Breakin’ and The Skills To Pay the Bills, Mike D and Adrock, aka Adam Horowitz, bounced around like boys squaring up for a brawl. Yet the chaos of their old shows had been replaced by a tight band, including the DJ Mix Master Mike, and too many rehearsals.

Whereas once Sure Shot fizzed from the feeling that it might fall apart, now it was delivered with ruthless efficiency. Even sporadic dips into the band’s hardcore past were well orchestrated.

Thankfully, Beastie Boys had enough hits to keep the crowd happy, and their innovative visuals – triangular screens hung above them like a space-age cot mobile – offered some distraction. A break and reunion would probably serve them better, though.

Beastie Boys play Roundhouse, NW1, tonight and headline Bestival on Saturday

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