Beatz Music & Gig Buddies go Country...

For several different reasons, one being the soulful soundtrack, another the highly quotable dialogue, The Blues Brothers is one of the few constants on my ever-changing list of favourite films*. John Landis' madcap musical comedy, with its raft of Saturday Night Live's early stars performing alongside some of Stax & Atlantic's best musicians, is a surreal portrait of early 80's America (replete with levitating Nuns and a Twiggy cameo).

In one of the film's most memorable scenes our behatted protagonists rustle up a gig at a misbegotten venue in the middle of nowhere, a roadhouse that is not at all welcoming to the Brothers' brand of R'n'B. From my first watch of the film this venue, and the quip about it having both kinds of music, coloured my view of Country music and its fans as a cinematic punchline; bottle throwing red-necks love Tammy Wynette. 

Whilst the sequence is still admittedly funny I have found, having watched the film again through my now considerably older eyes, that it unfairly stereotypes both the music it tenuously represents and the folk who listen to it. That might sound a bit PC but, as I've got older, my tastes have broadened and now an evening spent listening to both the theme from Rawhide and Stand By You Man on repeat, drinking beer and singing along, definitely appeals. 

Unfortunately Bob's Country Bunker only exists in a 35mm world however, in our reality, venerable Portsmouth venue The Wedgewood Rooms boasts at least some of the magic of a roadhouse (the trademark sticky floors and cold beer I mean, not a wall of chicken-wire across the front of the stage to protect the musicians). Admittedly the Wedge may be more Donny that Marie but it has credentials enough to host an evening of modern Country music. 

And when better to do so than on America's birthday? 

This Fourth of July the Wedge will don its blue jeans, polish its Dingo boots, and welcome some modern Country music onto its stage, and it's all thanks to Gig Buddies and Beatz Club. These two organisations promote regular events for adults with disabilities which, whilst providing people with special needs an authentic night of live music in a safe environment, are open to ALL music lovers who want to share a good night's entertainment. 

The line-up for this Thursday night's hoe-down features a performance from local singer-songwriter Alex Krupa, some multi-instrumentalist mellifluousness from RSD Unsigned 2019 shortlisted act Hengistbury, with four-piece Dirt Road Diary closing the evening with a no doubt loud set of Country Rock.



Tickets are for this hootenanny are just £5, available in advance from the venue, with carers getting in for FREE. Yee haw! (sorry, I just couldn't help myself)

* Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back are the other two

Golden Touch Festival

Somewhere here, squirrelled away at the bottom of a cardboard box that is itself hidden under a pile of similarly nondescript brown cubes, there is a copy of Razorlight's debut album. I mention this as, try as I might not to reference the Johnny Borrell-sized elephant in the room, from the first I heard of Portsmouth's latest one-day festival, one song from that album keeps appearing at the back of my brain. And yes, I realise by telling you this I've no doubt provided you with a similarly plaguing earworm. 

Sorry.

Golden Touch Festival (you're humming it already aren't you?) is a new indoor event from the folks at Fitz Promotions, a two-stage event showcasing some of the best up-and-coming musical talent from the South Coast and further afield, which boasts a hand-picked selection of acts; from bands championed by the likes of BBC 6Music's Steve Lamacq & Huw Stephens to one who recently supported Bastille, all will perform across both stages at The Wedgewood Rooms and the Edge of The Wedge next weekend.



The line-up features psych-rock courtesy of London's Beach for Tiger, indie-rock from Wedgewood Rooms Showcase 2018 winners Brother Deep and Portsmouth's own Crystal Tides, singer-songwriters Casey Lowry & Ulysses Wells, Sheffield four-piece Oddity Road and a Macclesfield take on indie pop from Cassia. Tom Lumley & The Brave Liaison and The White Lakes bring the sound of Oxbridge, joining Guildford rock foursome Cascade,  Blithe, High on Neon, Submariner, Kings & Castles and local lads Neverman on the bill.



Golden Touch Festival kicks off at 1330 next Saturday, 29th June, and tickets for this sonic smörgåsbord are a mere £10 (available in advance from the venue). Now, how do I get rid of a Razorlight earworm? Answers on a postcard please to the usual address.

Ogikubo Station @ The Edge of The Wedge

Californian duo Ogikubo Station, better known indiviually as Mixtapes' guitarist Maura Weaver and Asian Man Records founder Mike Park, bring their beautiful noise to the Edge of the Wedge next week to kick off their first UK headline tour. The pair released their debut long player We Can Pretend Like last year and recently added to their catalogue with the Okinawan Love Songs EP.

Ogikubo Station play an acoustic set at The Edge on Monday 17th June, with support coming from El Morgan, Brighton-based four-piece Cryptic Street, local favourites The Stayawakes and the enigmatically named Shoes On, Now! Tickets are a bargain £7 in advance and, as always, it'll be more on the door.

If you can't make the duo's gig at The Edge then fear not gentle reader, their tour also takes in The Joiners in Southampton on Wednesday 19th June, Brighton's Prince Albert the following night and the New Cross Inn, London, on Tuesday 25th June.

UPDATE: 20/06 - Apparently Mike Park isn't playing all the dates on the tour, if you're expecting to see him in London then unfortunately you'll be out of luck (the venue are offering refunds).

Snapped Ankles - 'Rechargeable'

Self-professed "woodland agitators" Snapped Ankles' latest release is well deserving of the not inconsiderable amount of airplay it's been receiving of late on 6Music. With its propulsive beats and distorted vocals Rechargeable is a strobe-inducing belter of a track; imagine James Murphy and Lene Lovich fighting over the controls of a jet-speeder as it races across the alkali flats towards an army of Secret Machines commanded by Mark E Smith, that's the movie that plays in my brain each time I hear it.

It's not just me, surely?



Is it?

It is, isn't it?

Oh well.

Regardless, if like me you want to experience their shamanistic stage antics first-hand then there's good news ahoy; the East London outfit will be bringing their brand of "agricultural Kraftwerk" to Portsmouth when they play Psych Fest 2019 on Saturday 4th May (for which tickets, though limited, are still available).

Breakdown 20

In the late Nineties Portsmouth's legendary big beat club night Breakdown brought the joyous sound of breakbeats & loops to the heart of the city. Now, after a gap of nearly two decades, the big beat sound is returning to The Wedgewood Rooms for a one-off celebration, with multiple DJs working their turntable magic across the venue's two rooms.

Breakdown 20 is a celebration of the music that bridged the distance between clubbers and indie kids but it's also a chance to toast the lives of co-founder Carl Edwards, who passed away last year, and DJ Paul ‘Monkey P’ Keeler who died in 2015. Monkey P founded No More Durty Water, a fundraising organisation that works with existing charities to provide safe and sustainable drinking water, and monies raised from Breakdown 20 will go to help both their work and that of local hospice The Rowans.

The line-up for Breakdown 20 includes Simon Heartfield, Mr Foot and George Spence, with resident DJ Jed Nugget spinning a choice set of old school classics and the mighty Plump DJs headlining. 



Breakdown 20 takes place this Friday, 22nd March, with advance tickets priced at £10 (All ages show, under 14s must be accompanied by an adult).

Portsmouth Psych Fest 2019

Over the past few months the organisers of Portsmouth Psych Fest 2019 have teased and tantalised, proffering an ever growing selection of musical morsels via announcements on their social media, wetting the appetite of the discerning gig-goers who subscribe to its feed. The line-up for this year's festival, the third such event, which they've slowly revealed is arguably the strongest to date and features acts both local and from across the country. 

Headlining the festival are Wolverhampton's Yak whose single, Fried, is currently receiving a lot of play on BBC 6Music (the recent live session for Tom Ravenscroft is definitely worth a listen); the band recently released their second album, Pursuit of Momentary Happiness, after an arduous recording process that, at one point, saw the band homeless and sleeping in a car. That's rock & roll.

Joining Yak on the bill are Los Bitchos (who have recently toured both with both Bill Ryder-Jones and the excellent International Teachers of Pop), London-based six piece Black Country New Road, Isle of Wight psych-punks Fat Earthers and Southampton trio Mystic Peach.

Portsmouth synth duo Drusila join fellow city-dwellers Number 9 on the bill, whilst GURU and Egyptian Blue both travel along the coast from Brighton to perform. From somewhat further afield are Glasgow twangsters Sweaty Palms and Bristol noise sculptors Scalping. The Howlers, Snapped Ankles, singer-songwriter Freya Beer, Japanese Television and the fantastically named Nice Biscuit also feature with Invada Records signees The KVB appearing as special guests.

Psych Fest 2019 will take place at The Wedgewood Rooms on Saturday 4th May, with sibling venue the Edge of The Wedge hosting the second stage. Doors open at midday and, after the live music ends, guest DJs should no doubt keep the fun going until late. Tickets are available now, via the venue, priced at a very reasonable £17 (plus service charge).

Beatz Music & Gig Buddies present...

No disrespect intended to Rodgers, Hammerstein or the late Maria von Trapp, but bright copper kettles, or warm woollen mittens for that matter, are not on my list of favourite things. If I was to create such a list then I can state quite easily what would be at the top of it; the simple act of attending a live music event. 

Yes, going to a gig. That feeling within produced from the combination of sensations, the bright lights and the loud mellifluous noise. The power of the shared experience, the joy of the sound of music. There's nothing quite like it and it's a gift that all can, and should enjoy. 

However, for some of us, attending a gig may not be as easy and accessible a joy as for the rest. For various reasons entering into a dark auditoriums that hosts live music, with a crowd of unknown faces in attendance, may be a disconcerting experience. Thankfully there are organisations that actively seek to open the experience up for all, organisations such as Gig Buddies and Portsmouth's Beatz Club.

Gig Buddies is a nationwide organisation which matches adults with a learning disability to volunteers with similar musical tastes, together sharing the love of live music. Beatz promotes events that offer adults with disabilities an authentic night out of live music in a safe, supportive environment.

The team behind Beatz combine their passion for music with their experience working alongside individuals with disabilities, ensuring that "everyone has a great night out". The two groups co-hosted a Christmas special at The Wedgewood Rooms, featuring live music from Bedlam and Monkey Love Stunt Team on the decks, and it's back at the venerable Albert Road venue where their next event will be held. This time around it's going to be a loud one; the organisers have shuffled the decks, checked their hand, and are playing the Rock card. 

First on the bill are Further From The Sky, a rocking four-piece with an impressive bio; between them they've played venues across the UK and Europe, recorded in London and California, and toured with the great and good from the international and underground rock scenes. If you want a South Coast rock supergroup, you've got it...



Next up are Joolz, Marky Mark and JD, aka Trouble County, a Portsmouth power trio producing "down n’ dirty, oil stained, groove-driven Southern stoner rock".



Topping the bill are South Coast three-piece Heir of The Dog, purveyors of funked up rock and rolling riffs aplenty.



This array of rock riffage takes place on Thursday 28th February at The Wedgewood Rooms and, whilst the aim of the gig is to provide people with special needs a safe environment in which to enjoy live music, the event is open to all music lovers who want to share a good night's entertainment. Tickets are for this shindig are £5 and carers go FREE.

Three nights with Stephen William Bragg Esq.

Singer. Songwriter. Activist. Bloke. Billy Bragg has been a recurring presence in my listening history since the day, more years ago than I care to remember, that my brother brought copies of Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy and Brewing Up with Billy Bragg home. 

The vinyl intrigued me; with sleeve designs reminiscent of paperback classics, albums that played at the speed as a single, these were odd platters. And that was before I stole a listen on my own turntable. But listen I did and, on encountering the sound of one man and his guitar, I soon realised that you don't need to affect an American accent to show you have soul.

This Billy Bragg fella crafted songs that were poignant, political, and lyrically beautiful; I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint, she ran away from home on her mother's best coat, she was married before she was even entitled to vote, the Polaroids that keep us together will surely fade away. A joyous array of words, delivered with a rawness of heart and a powerful belief, all from this guy with a guitar. Albums followed, hits from over artists covering his material, but no compromise.

After more than 35 years of walking his own path, singing his own way, this unlikely troubadour is still delivering songs of power and truth. This year he's bringing it to the people via a marathon touring residency. The One Step Forward, Two Steps Back tour will offer fans the chance to hear different sets over three nights in the same venue. 

The tour crosses the pond, with dates in the US and UK over the next twelve months, pitching up at The Wedgewood Rooms from the 5th to the 7th of July, with tickets for this novel tour available either individually or combined in a "season pass". If three nights of Billy Bragg playing on your doorstep tempt your fancy tickets for the Portsmouth residency go on sale here from 10am tomorrow morning priced at £25 per gig, with combined three night packages available via MusicGlue (update: three night packages for the Wedgewood Rooms gig have now sold out).

 

Trash Arts presents Alcuna Wilds

As mentioned previously the annual celebration of smaller venues that is Independent Venue Week will soon be upon us. Independent venues across the land (and even some across the pond) will be hosting events in the seven days between Monday 28th January and Sunday 3rd February. 

Once again one of my favourite venues, Portsmouth's venerable Wedgewood Rooms, will be taking part, and has announced that it will be welcoming Beans on Toast, Tankus the Henge, New York bluegrass/hip-hop (yes, it's a thing) outfit Gangstagrass and Canada's Cancer Bats, to name but three, to its stages over this period. Local promoters Trash Arts are also involved, they'll be hosting Anglo-Dutch foursome Alcuna Wilds at the Edge of The Wedge on Tuesday 29th January.

Alcuna Wilds consists of Brits Nadja Freeman (vocals, synths) and Pete Barnes (guitar) who, with Nederlanders Jordy Pama (synths, bass & backing vocals) and Sjaak van Dam (drums, samples), produce some rather beautiful, mellifluous, atmospheric and ambient rock:



Support on the night comes from local talent, with singer-songwriters Paddy Taylor and Teco Nicolello joined by self-confessed lumbersexuals The Jay Groovara Band. Tickets are priced at very reasonable £5 (advance, £6 on the door), which is an absolute bargain if you ask me.

Christmas Covers Party #9

Despite the Creme Eggs on display in my local corner shop it is definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Admittedly, after having already endured several months of adverts preaching rampant consumerism and over-indulgence, I'm not exactly in the festive spirit as yet (bah, and furthermore, humbug) but here's something that fair warms the cockles and helps melt away my inner Scrooge; the 9th Annual Christmas Covers Party.

This yearly event brings together some of the best and brightest of Pompey's alt-music scene to rock some Egg Nog, have some fun and raise money to support the valuable work of The Rowans hospice. Situated just outside of the city The Rowans aims to improve the the lives of those living with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carers, both in Portsmouth and throughout South East Hampshire.

The line-up for this year features Battery Hens, Horse Flies, Hooch, Dad Hair, The SLM, Cyprian Sceptre, Glorious Bulletheads and Flybums, all of whom are no doubt all practising the three covers apiece that they'll be performing. The venue for this festive farrago is The Wedgewood Rooms, with Thursday 27th December the date for your diaries, tickets £5 in advance. 

And yes, I'm really hoping that Battery Hens take on this Muppet Christmas classic. Fingers crossed.

We Shall Overcome All-Dayer @ The Wedgewood Rooms

This weekend, under the banner of the We Shall Overcome campaign, a series of music and art events will take place across the UK. The aim of these events is both to raise awareness of the ongoing effects of austerity and provide help to those in our communities affected by it. The policies of austerity have had an impact on communities all over the country, including Portsmouth and its surrounding areas, and unfortunately it's only through the efforts of organisations like the Trussell Trust that some in our community are able to put food on the table.

We Shall Overcome is an alliance of artists, musicians and others who came together to provide practical assistance to those affected by austerity. Since 2015 they've encouraged people to organise gigs and events that:

• Get direct help to those in our local communities who have been adversely affected by austerity policies.
• Raise awareness, show solidarity or apply pressure to those who have political power.

The Wedgewood Rooms is hosting an all day event this Sunday, 7th October, which will feature live performances from The Autumn Stone, Southerlies, Amba Tremain, Brave Rival, Blue Harvest and several others. Rather than buy a ticket for your day's entertainment the organisers instead ask that you bring a small box of food; all food donated will be distributed amongst local foodbanks.

If you are unable to attend an event this weekend but want to help others in your community, here are some links to local foodbanks:

Portsmouth Foodbank
Fareham & Gosport Basics Bank
Beacon Foodbank, Havant

Outside of Portsmouth? You can locate a foodbank near you via the Trussell Trust's website.

Late nights? Earlier doors...

Having The Wedgewood Rooms practically on my doorstep has always been a source of delight; it's a fantastic venue where, over the years, I've been lucky enough to see many artists at various stages of their careers (and, yes, I still shamelessly try and spot the gigs I've attended there from the multitude of posters that adorn the walls of its bar). 

Part of the experience of going to "the Wedge" is meeting up before the gig at one of the local hostelries, killing some time waiting for the doors to open with beer and conversation on whether or not to sample the delights of the support act (which we invariably did, if not then I'd never have seen The Killers and Franz Ferdinand when I did, or discover the live awesomeness that was The Computers).

The reason for propping up a bar elsewhere beforehand was because, for as long as I can remember, my favourite haunt has thrown wide its doors slightly later than other venues; the doors would open later, the bands would start later, the entertainment would end later, and there's the rub. Stay until the end or bolt for the last train or bus? Decisions decisions.

Admittedly this was more problematic when I lived outside of the city and, having resigned myself to not missing out on any music (which meant forsaking the last locomotive heading west out of Fratton), I always tried to make sure I had enough shrapnel in my pocket to cover the taxi home (which meant, on occasion, forsaking the shiny delights of the merch table). 

That was then. Now I live in Portsmouth getting home from the Wedge is just a shortish walk for me. However, having become accustomed to the late starts, several of my gig buddies and I have all had to undergo a period of adjustment when seeing a gig at a venues further afield. Whilst it seemed initially strange that gigs in Brighton and London would start and finish earlier, the realisation that this left enough time to make the last train, including grabbing a bite or a pint at the station before the journey home, was a welcome one.

Times change, which of course means times change. Opening times I mean, more precisely those of The Wedgewood Rooms. Apparently, due to popular demand, door times are moving back to 1930 which also means, obviously, that an evening's mellifluous delights should finish by 2300. This brings the venue more in line with others, makes getting the last train home slightly more easier for those who have to travel and, personally speaking, means in future that I'm more likely to make it home before midnight for my mug of bedtime Horlicks.

The venue is phasing the introduction of its new door time over the Autumn period; by 2019 all gigs should start earlier (comedy and club nights are unaffected). They're also genuinely interested if that's the ideal time for a gig to finish or still too late, canvassing for opinions via their Facebook page. It's OK by me, though it does mean I might have to finish my pint in The Merchant House a little quicker than before.

A Sunday matinee with Sink or Soar

The heavy rain that fell on Victorious Festival's Sunday session this year put the kibosh on several performances. With both the Real Ale Stage and Castle Stage closing due to the inclement elements several acts were bumped off the bill, the lucky ones who weren't suffered the weather (which, given it was raining sideways for most of the afternoon, explains why Gomez sheltered under a hastily assembled garden pagoda for their set on the Common Stage).

Sink or Soar were one casualty of Portsmouth seemingly receiving its Summer supply of rain in one afternoon, which was a shame as their festival set was to be their last gig (boo!). All is not lost however, for the trio are taking the stage one last time (until they reform in 2025) for an afternoon farewell at The Edge of The Wedge, joined by Matt Allen's Mystery Beaks and Rich Keam. If you want to wish the Wit & Co a fond toodle pip mark your calendars for Sunday 4th November.

Goodbye Dale

Sad news this morning, Dale Barclay, of And Yet It Moves and ex The Amazing Snakeheads, has died following a valiant fight with glioblastoma. 

Of all the bands I've seen live, and there have been many, there are a handful of acts that have delivered as visceral experience as The Amazing Snakeheads, thanks mostly to the feral presence of Dale Barclay. He prowled the stage, eyed the front row like a Tiger would a steak, a scrawny, shirtless, shiny shoed battler. Like the Snakeheads, who imploded before they could capitalise on their debut album, Dale has gone to soon. 

RIP

ShoutFest

Express FM's regular Monday night showcase for local musicians, The Shout, will be taking over the Wedgewood Rooms next month for what is shaping up to be a packed evening of music featuring some of the best and brightest acts and artists that Portsmouth and the surrounding area has to offer.

ShoutFest (I see what they did there) takes place on Monday 10th October, World Mental Health Day, and funds raised from this event will assist Solent Mind's Well-Being Centre in Portsmouth.

Amongst the line-up announced so far are Devin-Jade, Reactor 1, Drusila, Colour of the Jungle, Ben Brookes, Chloe Josephine, The Curious Incident, JAMIN and Flowvers. Tickets for ShoutFest are priced at £7, available online from the Wedge website.

Dials Festival 2018 - Just added...

The lovely folks behind Dials have announced some additions to the bill of their multi-venue one-day festival. Rounding out an already packed line-up of new music are London bands Yassassin and Krush Puppies, Brighton synth-pop duo Fröst, singer/beatboxer Grace Savage and Portsmouth singer-songwriters Megan Linford and Dani Uziel. All this and more for the bargain price of just £16? You'd be silly not to really.

The Fat Lady Sings / Letters Leases Writs & Rings

After moving house I spent a lot of time poring through a near never-ending series of cardboard boxes, locating and decanting items previously packaged away for safe transit, stumbling across all manner of odd items I'd squirrelled away in the process. If I've learnt one thing from moving house it's that, perhaps, I may have a bit of a problem when it comes to not throwing things away (as I appear to have retained a lot of paraphernalia some might think useless). 

For example, inside one box was a piece of orange card that dated from 1993, sent by East West Records to inform me that Irish alternative rock band The Fat Lady Sings were releasing a series of six collectable CD singles from their then soon-to-be-released second album Johnson. The CD singles could be stored in a cardboard sleeve, supplied with the final single, and would feature B-sides and demo tracks. It seems weird to think now, given both the vinyl revival and the death of physical single thanks to streaming, that CD singles were ever a thing. That's the 90s for you.

The Fat Lady Sings were one of my favourite bands of the time. Twist, their first album, is an assured collection of songs that features harmonica-fuelled odes to internal masochism in the face of broken hearted love (Deborah) and likening loneliness to an area of Antarctica (Dronning Maud Land), all featuring lead singer Nick Kelly's distinctive vocals. Fanboy that I am I got to see them play live at The Wedgewood Rooms and, many years later, sought out a solo Nick Kelly play a set in the basement of a Dublin pub (if you ask nicely I'll regale you with the story of how I cajoled an American couple into joining us there and how I ended up post-gig with a signed poster).

Two years after Twist the band, now a three piece, released Johnson. Again an assured collection of songs, with Drunkard Logic's all too relatable tale of failed love viewed through the bottom of a pint glass being a standout (the CD single collection took its name from one of the song's lyrics, "we don't leave ourselves in many things, just in Letters Leases Writs and Rings"). 

Promotion of the second album saw the band hit the road on an extensive six month tour, including three months across the pond, that culminated with a gig at New York's famed CBGB's venue. Sadly the band split soon after, with frontman Nick walking away to pursue both a career as a solo act and, latterly, as a film director. 

Fanboy me, obviously, ensured that I took heed of the orange card and procured all six CD singles (the two released for Show of Myself, the two released for Drunkard Logic and the two released for World Exploding Touch) as and when they were released. I listened, I enjoyed, I stored them all together in the cardboard box supplied with the final single and placed them safely in my record collection (and then, when I moved house, they went into a larger cardboard box).

Amongst the tracks included on the limited edition singles are live tracks (including Twist, Arclight and Be Still), demos (World Exploding Touch and Show of Myself), peculiarities (Creepy Baby, Broken Promised Land) and a rather good remix of Boil. It might be good for my wallet that music isn't packaged in this way any more, and I'm far too old to go in for the completist buying thing (I've even stopped buying Panini stickers, maybe I'm maturing?), though I do miss the days of a boxset of singles. The concept may well have been invented by one of Stelfox's colleagues, and exist only to move product, but they do look rather lovely on a shelf.

Some years after these singles were released, long after the dust settled on The Fat Lady Sings, a lot of the tracks captured in the single collection appeared on the band's retrospective double album; The Fat Lady Singles/Opera Obscura collates the best of the bands output into one handy package. 

And yes, I've bought that too.

Cate le Bon @ The Wedgewood Rooms (10/09/2014)

I feel a bit sorry for Oxford.

The city of dreaming spires may have gifted the nation the likes of Supergrass and Radiohead, provided a home for Lyra Belacqua and played a part in the education of Professor Stephen Hawking, but apparently its audiences aren't very lively. Or, at least, this is what Cate le Bon tells us of her experience playing there the previous evening. Depending upon your level of cynicality this could be viewed as disparaging to the fine people of Oxford or, instead, that well used tactic of winning over a new audience by rubbishing an old one. If it is the latter then it's not a tactic that le Bon needs to use.

The comment regarding the previous night's crowd is dropped several songs into her set, needlessly as I (and, given the applause, the rest of the crowd) am enthralled. What a difference a few songs can make; at the outset I wasn't so sure what we were in for, with le Bon striding across the stage to stand in a dark corner, set apart from the three members of her backing band. Thoughts of J Spaceman, standing aloof at the side of the stage, stirred at the back of my memory. Would this be another such gig where I left feeling that I'd paid money to watch someone who didn't want to be looked at? No, obviously.

From the opening bars of the first song le Bon becomes possessed by the music, stepping into the light and swaying toward the microphone. Holding the guitar like a weapon she moves around the stage, a fluid and better choreographed Wilko Johnson she could machine gun us down at any time. That the set plundered latest album Mug Museum is no real surprise; the first track from the new long player, I Can't Help You, is dispatched early on and a stirring Wild is dedicated to the fine folks of Portsmouth (and sees an errant string broken midway through its wig out, thus the guitar is replaced by handbells for the next couple of numbers).

Her backing band of Huw, Dan and Steve (who were all introduced to in another break between songs) leave le Bon alone for the first song of the encore, a beautifully delicate take on Frank Mills (from the musical Hair but probably better known by some as the last proper track on The Lemonheads' It's A Shame About Ray album). The band rejoin for one last song and then, all too soon, the lights come on and we make our way to the door and the delights of the merchandise desk that awaits us in the foyer.

So, yes, I feel a bit sorry for Oxford. Cate le Bon was an exquisite delight, you'd have to have been staring at your shoes, with fingers in your ears, not to have been swept along with her.

Evolution II @ The Wedgewood Rooms

Rock and Metal club night Evolution returns to The Wedgewood Rooms tomorrow night for a second inning, the poster above tells you all you need to know but, just for the hell of it, why don't I just run through the line-up anyway; there's live music from Bare Your Scars, Freakpit, Toxic Shock and the mighty Kodiak Jack, plus classic tunes til late courtesy of resident DJs Hev Stilet Hoe, DJ Matt Random and The Reverend Eales.

The through doors to The Edge will be opened up as well, the overspill bar hosting some Hip Hop as well as comfy chairs. The price of admission for the gig part of the evening is a bargain £4 and entry after 2300 is FREE! For more information on Evolution check out their website or their Facebook page.