iTunes - I heart you

Best download this month: Ca Plane Pour Moi - by Plastic Bertrand - the original 1977 version.

All thanks to iTunes for re-connecting me to this quasi-punk 1970's gem from Belgium band Plastic Bertrand.

And for anyone who ever wondered what the lyrics were... thanks to David Gibbs who did his best to translate it on his web page: http://www.david.gibbs.co.uk/plastic/plastic_lyrics.htm

Yam! Bam! mon chat Splash
Git sur mon lit a bouffe
sa langue en buvant tout mon whisky
quant a moi peu dormi, vide, brime
J'ai du dormir dans la gouttiere
Ou j'ai eu un flash *
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
En quatre couleurs *"

Allez hop! un matin
Une louloute est venue chez-moi
Poupee de cellophane, cheveux chinois
un sparadrap, une gueule de bois
a bu ma biere dans un grand verre en caoutchouc
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
Comme un indien dans son igloo

Ca plane pour moi ca plane pour moi
Ca plane pour moi moi moi moi moi
Ca plane pour moi
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
Ca plane pour moi

Allez hop! la nana quel panard!
Quelle vibration!
de s'envoyer sur le paillasson
Limee, ruinee, videe, comblee
You are the King of the divan!
Qu'elle me dit en passant
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
I am the King of the divan

Ca plane pour moi ca plane pour moi
Ca plane pour moi moi moi moi moi
Ca plane pour moi
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
Ca plane pour moi

Allez hop! t'occupe t'inquiete
touche pas ma planete
It's not today
Quel le ciel me tombera sur la tete
et que la colle me manquera ****
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
Ca plane pour moi

Allez hop! ma nana s'est tiree
S'est barree enfin c'est marre a tout casse
L'evier, le bar me laissant seul
Comme un grand connard
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
Le pied dans le plat

Ca plane pour moi ca plane pour moi
Ca plane pour moi moi moi moi moi
Ca plane pour moi
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
Ca plane pour moi
Ca plane pour moi ca plane pour moi
Ca plane pour moi moi moi moi moi

And again in ENGLISH:

Wham! Bam! my cat Splash
lies on my bed with his tongue puffed out
by drinking all my whisky.
As for me, not enough sleep, drained, persecuted,
I had to sleep in the gutter
where I had a flash
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
in four colours

Allez-oop! One morning
a darling came to my home,
a cellophane puppet with Chinese hair,
a  plaster, a hangover,
drank my beer in a large rubber glass
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
like an Indian in his igloo

This works for me, this works for me
This works for me me me me me
This work for me
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
This works for me

Allez-oop! The chick***, what a gas!
what a vibration!
to be sent on the door mat
filed, ruined, drained, filled
You are the King of the divan!
she says to me in passing
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
I am the King of the divan

This works for me, this works for me
This works for me me me me me
This workss for me
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
This works for me

Allez-oop! Don't mind, don't worry
Don't affect me
It’s not today
that the sky will fall on my head
and I'll be without glue
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
This life’s  for me

Allez-oop! my chick has gone away,
flew away, finally had enough, to break
the sink, the bar, leaving me alone
like a complete jerk
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
I've put my foot in it

This works for me, this works for me
This works for me me me me me
This workss for me
Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!
This works for me
This workss for me, this works for me
This works for me me me me me

Gig Report: REM

Date: Sunday 24 August, 2008, 8.30pm
Venue: Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester
Face value: £45
Support Act: The Guillomots and Editors
Gig buddy: Phil, Laura and John

Remember how we found a nifty parking spot that allowed a quick entrance to the LCCC for the Radiohead gig a couple of months back? Well, it seems that everyone has discovered it. Nevertheless, we parked up and took the back entrance to the LCCC to find that this time they had not put down the plastic sheeting on the ground and there was much less trash. Perhaps it's psychology at play here - people feel less inclined to care about discarding trash if the plastic is down because last time it was strewn with plastic cups and singapore noodles, yet this time barely a fag end. Weird. We catch the last of the Guillomots as we enter and proceed to check out the eating options, which are plenty. We're all attending this gig off the back of 2 nights camping and are starving. But first, back inside the ground for the Editors who play a fine set and get a good reception. I'm wishing I had shoes with a little more heel on them again - being a cricket ground, it's super flat and it's difficult for me to catch a glimpse of what's on stage.

Back to the bar between sets and I'm asked for ID. Yes, me. I should go camping more often - clearly the fresh air has done wonders for my complexion. And I mean wonders... I'm careening towards 32 next month. I'm so glad I could nearly hug the barstaff member who asked me. Stuffing ourselves with an assortment of Thai food before we head back in for REM, we pick a spot a little less populated with giants and enjoy the show. I've not been to an REM gig before (I think this is Phil's 5th or 6th) and I'm blown away by the performance. Though they are clearly promoting the new album - and it's good - they don't ignore the back catalogue at all, even playing my all time favourite: Bad Day. Others like Ignoreland and Losing My Religion make it in as well. Frontman, Michael Stipe speaks frequently to the audience and the stagework is well thought out - massive screens projecting arty imagery for each track.

Rating: 4 and a half political guitars.

And for the super-keen, here's the set list:

1. Living Well Is The Best Revenge
2. These Days
3. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
4. Drive
5. Man-Sized Wreath
6. Fall On Me
7. Ignoreland
8. Walk Unafraid
9. Hollow Man
10. I’m Gonna DJ
11. Electrolite
12. Pretty Persuasion
13. The Great Beyond
14. So Fast, So Numb
15. 7 Chinese Bros.
16. The One I Love
17. I’ve Been High
18 Let Me In
19. Horse To Water
20. Bad Day
21. Orange Crush
22. Imitation Of Life

Encore

23. Supernatural Superserious
24. Losing My Religion
25. Mr. Richards
26. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
27. Man On The Moon

*Thanks to Flickr's James Arnold for the picture.

REM - European Tour

Sunday night and we're back at LCCC for the REM gig - with two brand new gig buddies, John and Laura.

Suffice to say, I'm excited. Check back next week for the report.

And the Ida Maria album mentioned below? It rocks. Buy it. Especially if you're a bit nostalgic for proper Suzi-Q style reckless rock.

Ida Maria - fellow freak

For those who haven't heard the catchy punkish 'I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked' on the airwaves, Ida Maria, a Norwegian born talent, is currently the Big Thing in music. An infectious crazy rocker from the North who has left her missionary upbringing behind in a trail of booze and blood, she now lives in Sweden.  What I like most about her is that she, like me, also has synaesthesia - the crossing of the senses. She apparantly has a similar strain of it whereby she sees colours in music and words/numbers.

The album (Fortress Round My Heart) is out this week, receiving mixed praise. Only one way to find out - I'm off to grab a copy...

Gig Report: KYLIE

Date: Thursday 17 July, 2008, 20:15 hrs

Venue: MEN Arena

Face Value: £50 I think

Gig Buddy: Phil

Describing a Kylie show without pictures is like shouting underwater - almost impossible (try it if you don't believe me). So, I took my camera to the gig and from our seats in the second tier we had a decent view to capture the show. I have a real fondness for the Kylie brand: never in the tabloids for slating other artists, didn't seek masses of publicity for her cancer battle and though her shows are very sexy, doesn't fall out of a nightclub at 2am without underwear. Also, she's an artist that doesn't shy away from her more kitschy background.

I must confess though, I have never seen Kylie perform live and whilst I've always enjoyed the crafty pop tunes she's churned out over the years, I've never been convinced that she can sing very well. Maybe I'm tainted by her appearances with sister Dannii on a 1980's program called Young Talent Time. Never the less, I'm settled in for the show at the MEN arena. The lights go out and it's clear just how many of those glowing naff feathery sticks that have been flogged outside. (And feather boas - puh-lease people, even I know that this ain't going to be 'Showgirl' style tonight.)

So, Kylie takes to the stage after a grand light show introduction standing on the rim of a giant bicycle wheel looking thing. (Told you this was hard to describe without pictures). I'll call this: Act One: Star Wars. The dancers are clad in black PVC and wear Darth Vadar kind of helmets. It works though and the effect is mesmerising. The crowd are already in a frenzy.

Next it's Cheerleader Kylie, and while she's not quite as teeny-tiny as she used to be, she's no heifer. There's plenty of energy in the show and the costumes just keep getting better. It's obvious that there are a large proportion of gay fans for Kylie and the dancers' outfits as usual border on the cheeky side.

Quick costume change while the dancers entertain us with some cheerleading moves and Kylie is back on stage with a Love Boat theme and belts out 'Copacobana' in great style.Possibly my favourite outfit the for the evening (and there were 8 outfits no less to choose from) is the red dress and thigh high boots. Kylie enters for this section riding a giant chrome skull. Ever the crowd-pleaser, Kylie stops between songs to speak with the audience, collect some gifts and thank people for making an effort (there's a guy in the audience who has really come in fancy dress - I assume he's got tickets for more than one show - he's a superfan.)Act 5: Japanese Kylie. Weird, weird, weird - but I like it. Cloaked in traditional headdress, Kylie emerges from a glossy black pyramid in the middle of a cube framework. Having seen one of these on a trip to Hong Kong, Phil and I knew what it was for. Dancers are lowered from above and there is much Samurai sword fighting and 'Crouching Tiger' style leaping. All good.
Petals (like a Cherry Blossom I guess) are constantly falling from overhead and towards the end of this set get much heavier.

A short 'Act' follows with Kyles in a blue dress, performing without much backing from the band. Her voice is surprisingly strong, even if ever-so-slightly nasal. It's difficult to get a good picture of her in this one unfortunately.

Remember how I said the red outfit was my favourite? Scratch that. This is. It's the European military styled Kylie. (Or as Phil put it: the Adam and the Ants Act).




The end of the show is upon us, but time to 'Get Back In Time'. Gay overtones anyone?

It really is the end of the show - even the screens have reverted to Test Card format...

An encore?? Oh, if I must!!

Hard to beat a Kylie show - though the girl on Phil's right didn't smile the entire night. And the big burly guy in front of us had a fight with a female in their party. He yelled at her to 'Fuck Off' and I was nervous that he might punch 4 shades of shit out of her, but instead he sat down and started to cry. Yep, sobbed like a little girl for 3 songs. I wish I'd told her to fuck off too - she stood up in front of me and blocked my view some of the time with her mannish dancing.
Overall: go go go - see this if you get the chance, it's the reason why we pay £50 for a ticket. Seems excessive, but you get a lotta show for it.
Rating: 5 shiny disco balls. And a massive hug to Phil for not hesitating to hold my handbag for me as the only straight guy in the arena.

Gig Report: RADIOHEA_D

Date: Sunday 29 June, 2008, 20:15hrs

Venue: Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC)

Face Value: £42.50

Gig Buddy: Phil

Sadly a wedding crisis (and no I’m not being bridezilla about it, this was a genuine crisis) prevented us from catching the support acts (MGMT and Bat For Lashes) last night. An unfortunate turn of events indeed, however having 80 guests at a wedding who may be forced to sleep rough took precedence over a gig warm up act. But only just. With that quickly resolved via an internet block booking or two, we take the drive into Manchester and opt out of paying £10 for parking near the cricket ground. Phil’s skilful map reading ensured we would take a sneaky back entrance and actually park closer than the £10 would have gotten us. Handy knowledge as REM will be rocking this same venue in August.

On entry to the ground you can tell it’s not sold out. It’s busy, but not rammed considering it's their final UK date of the World Tour. I’m wearing pink wellies as it’s been raining all week though it’s now a cloudless afternoon and there is a layer of black plastic covering the ground so I needn’t have bothered. Nevermind. People have clearly been here all afternoon as the ground is littered, festival style, with pizza boxes, paper cups and noodles. There’s more than a pungent whiff of wacky-tobacky in the air and lots of people have found their groove (even if it’s just filler music). Radiohead take the stage at 8.15pm to thunderous applause – the accoustics in this place really help bounce the sound around. There’s a lot of material from the new album which was recently launched as a download where listeners could choose what they wanted to pay for it. Perhaps Radiohead were hoping it would bring them a swath of new listeners. Perhaps they felt people would feel inclined to shell out £40 for a gig ticket as thanks. Sadly, evidence has shown that neither of these things has happened. People who took the album for free would have paid for it anyway and the concerts, though widely publicized have not sold out. Still, there seem to be plenty of punters spunking cash on the £20 t-shirts at the merchandise stand.

The show has a good vibe, even if the screen showing what’s happening on stage is more art than anything. Short-asses like me made do with the colourful light show provided by what looked like giant neon strip lights, dangling vertically in wind-chime style above the stage area. Highlights are always the old favourites: Paranoid Android, Karma Police and No Surprises getting the best response from the crowd. No shock that they didn’t play ‘Creep’ as it’s a well published fact that the band abhors that track, despite the commercial success it brought them. Phil says REM is the same with ‘Shiny Happy People’. Shame, these are both good tunes. The set is broken up midway with Thom Yorke shifting to the piano, but returns to guitar. [post-edit: this was not a break, but the end of the show - they came back for their encore]. I can’t tell what strings he playing – he’s small dot of black on a black background from where I stand. 2 [3, duh!] encores follow the show – but we’re already out the gate in the hope of beating a rush for the streets. The second [third] one we totally weren’t expecting and we listened from the road near the train station. Top tip – the sound at this location is BETTER than in the ground itself. If you ever can’t get tickets to a show at LCCC, take a picnic and set up camp on the grassy knoll beyond the tramlink.

Overall: A good Sunday evening out, but not rock your socks off fantastic. 3 mellow guitars – 3 and a half maybe 4 if you’re a massive fan.

By the way, the hotel people called this morning. They are very sorry, but their computer system messed up. We have no hotel rooms available.
Welcome to Monday.

*thanks to Manchester Evening News for the picture. I was never going to get that close.

Gig Report: John Mayer

Date: Wednesday 25 June 2008, 09.30pm

Venue: Manchester Academy

Face Value: Phil paid - £20?

Gig Buddy: Phil

First off, if you are a John Mayer fan, I apologise. You may want to avert your eyes if you are sensitive of heart - for the report below is not a favourable one.

Still reading? Fine. On your head be it then.

I must preface this by saying that initially I was hesitant to go see this artist based purely on the fact that he was dating Jessica Simpson. Frankly anyone dim enough to bed the only person alive that doesn't know whether tuna is chicken or fish can't be much chop. But having heard a track or two (particularly 'Your Body Is a Wonderland') I agreed. Besides, he's dating Jennifer Aniston now, who is fab. As a side note, whilst I like that song, it's odd to me because there is a theme park in Sydney is 'Austalia's Wonderland' and it makes me think of that. So 'Your Body Is A Theme Park' is how I remember it.

Anyway, since we are now out of towners, it takes us a bit longer to get to the venue these days and we skip the support act. Phil makes the usual joke about missing the 'Doors' who seem to start every gig we go to at about 7pm. Ho ho. The Manchester Academy re-vamp work is now done, and we enter a slightly more upmarket entrance but otherwise the venue looks the same. John comes on to much applause and it's about now I realise that he has the tallest fans in the world. One guy even towered over Phil and he's a good 6 foot. Any chance I had of actually seeing much of Mr Mayer could only be improved by heading towards the back. So we did. To say the show was awful would be exaggerating it. Clearly John is a very talented musician. But sadly he played mostly tracks from his new album and ignored his back catalogue. His new album (for anyone who is thinking of buying it) sounds like quality Sunday morning music, the kind of stuff you'd hear as background music in a beat up bar while you stare blankly into a hair-of-the-dog Bloody Mary and fail miserably at a children's crossword because you are so hungover. It's heavily bluesy free form instrumental and as such didn't lend itself to much atmosphere. That's my polite way of saying that I was almost comatose by the time I left.

All that and no Theme Park song (or any of the other 4 hits Phil was expecting).

Encore a respectable 2 songs, but very evangelical finish to the evening, preaching that all you need to do is surround yourself with good people and life will be great. Easy to say when you are shagging a millionaire, eh John?

We leave before the band 'Curfew' come on. :)

Rating: a mediocre 3 guitars.

Little Man Tate - Gig Report

Date: Monday 19 May, 9.30pm
Venue: Club Academy
Face Value: £12.00 plus admin fees
Support Act: Blah Blah Blah (yes, they really are called that)
Gig buddy: Phil

Now, I'm a fan of Little Man Tate. Their first album is brilliant - all killer, no filler. It's rocking, has great melodies, fabulous riffs, a sound that is solid and clever lyrics. Plus I've seen them before, so I was keen as mustard to get back and hear their musical stylings again. Especially since there is a new single in the offing AND they are playing in a better venue than last time.

We miss the support acts and arrive in time for a drink before it starts. I'm a little put off from the get-go because the intro music they play is awkwardly cut off by the lead guitar mid way and there sounds like a couple of sound problems in the way of feedback. Nevermind, the boys seem energized for a good gig. Unfortunately energy doesn't translate into a good gig - or at least not on this occasion. Part of the problem is that the songs, while great, are mostly from the new album and I'm told at the merchandise stand it won't be out for a couple of months. Yes, months. It's clear that the crowd (several people moshing down the front) are crazy about the first album but also haven't heard any of the new stuff, which makes up more than half of the show. The second issue I have with the gig is that they played for not much more than 40 minutes. Seriously. We paid, right?? Thirdly, the band stop to convey to the crowd how awful (I'm being polite) their previous record company are and encourage people to steal the old album if they don't have it. Clearly someone got ripped off when they signed a record deal then.
My last bug bear with the evening is that a lot of the new songs sounded quite a bit like the old ones. I've heard of recycling and I'm fully in support of the 'green movement' but I think this is an area that we don't need to economise on. Really.
So, on the whole, not fantastic, but yeah I'll buy the new album.
Rating: 3 and a half - extra half point for the lead singer going for a full stage dive at the end during the final song.

Gig Report: Sia

Date: Saturday 5 April, 2008, 9.15pm
Venue: Club Academy
Face value: £14
Support Act: Har Mar Superstar
Gig buddy: Phil

It's hard to go to a gig where you rated them 5/5 last time around. Like a second viewing on a house you've been excited about to the point of considering putting an offer on, there's the worry that it will fall short of your expectations. Will cracks show, will it seem less impressive? So it's with cautiousness that I enter the Club Academy venue (same location in the Unversity of Manchester, but downstairs with a large area to relax in at the back) to a sold out performance. Already on stage is Har Mar Superstar, who's throwing out some urban-pop tunes - if you close your eyes, it's not disimilar to Justin Timberlake. If you open them, it's like your fat, balding dillusional uncle. He's working himself into a frenzy with catchy-sleaze disco tracks in a voice that defies the image, and even if the audience is only really amused by it all, there's a good vibe. His performance ends with him singing only in his sweaty pants. Enough said.

Sia's show starts with 'Buttons' and as last time, in neon suits and black light. It's still funny, but I've seen it before. Annoyingly enough a group girls wearing comfortable footwear (nothing wrong with that) are in front of me and begin chattering noisily and it gets the goat of everyone around them. We put up with it for a song, but it gets beyond a joke as they are clearly not into the music (why are they even here?) and a woman on the small balcony behind them tells them just how annoying they are being. Back to the performance, it's strong and Sia loses none of her appeal second time around. She giggles infectiously and belts out all our favourites in addition to the new tracks from her recently released album ('some people have REAL problems'). Each song is delivered flawlessly - her voice ever the more amazing when heard live. It's hard to believe such strong vocals come from an otherwise shy, childlike-spoken woman.

Overall, still great and definitely worth going - experience only tainted by the people in front of us, particuarly as one was rather fragrant.

Rating: Yeah, still a 5.

Postscript: Kro Bar across has the strawberry beer back on, but it tasted a little funny.. :(

Gig Report: Tina Dico

Date: Monday 3 March, 2008, 9.00pm
Venue: Academy 1
Face value: £10
Support Act: no idea
Gig buddy: Phil (he bought the tix)

In my previous post I claimed that Tina Dico was attracting a following after her Zero 7 stint. Either I was misguided in thinking this or they didn't show up to her gig. Academy 3 has to be one of the smallest places to play (barring Night and Day Café) but even so, it felt empty and it would have been if not for a few seemingly random punters - none of which knew any of the stuff she played. We were hoping for at least one Zero 7 track, or maybe a skillfull cover, but instead it was all her own work and most of it pretty standard angsty folk stuff. Close your eyes and you could be listening to any female busker in the world, strumming for a coffee on a street corner.

Not to say that the girl hasn't got vocal talent, but her strumming was ordinary and the tunes were not suited to a solo guitar - we were treated eventually to a backing track, which improved the performance to no end.

Overall: not for me. Her only saving grace was the nice Gretch she brought out.
Rating: 2 plain guitars

Tina Dico tonight!

Thankfully I have recovered from food poisoning on the weekend (meatballs people - avoid at all costs unless you are SURE they are meat) so it's off to see Tina Dico tonight. She did a couple of Zero 7 tracks, and like our very own Sia Furler who is now making a sucessful solo career, Ms Dico is gathering a following in her own right.
Check back soon for the report!

PS Noone guessed what I booked. Right - I'll give you a clue, it's a long weekend vacation. Guess where.

Gig Report: Hoosiers

Date: Thursday 28 February, 2008, 9.45pm
Venue: Academy 1
Face value: a tenner? can't remember, not much though
Support Act: The Script
Gig buddy: Phil

I can't remember why or when I bought these tickets - I suspect it was in a frenzy of ticket buying at the end of last year (remember Rock-tober!?). Knowing little about the band, this is somewhat foolish, though I was partial to the radio-popular singles 'Goodbye Mr A' and 'Worried About Ray' so I was confident that I'd be happy for at least 7 minutes of the show. Sadly we were fairly tired on Thursday and opted to miss the support act (sorry) though the crowd cheering as we entered (for them obviously, not us) tells me that they were a hit.

The set before us has a backdrop of large 60's wallpaper print and there are 3 massive lampshades over the stage area. Interesting. Stage right is a closet that opens and the band appears and take the stage. Intermittantly throughout the show, 2 guys dressed in skeleton suits emerge from and retreat to this closet who provide backing vocals. Strange. In fact, most of the band are in fancy dress and quite a few audience members as well - apparently this is a Hoosiers thing - to go in fancy dress to the gigs. All good fun, if not a bit bizarre.

What's weirdest about this act is that NME have voted them as Worst Band of the Year, which the guys make no bones about. In fact they wear it as a badge of honour, even if sarcastically. The weirdest thing about this is that they are in fact, really good. The vocals were flawless and intriguing, songs all well composed and delivered without fault. They worked the crowd really well and the fans are crazy about them. So I fail to see why they are the worst band of the year. I can think of far more worthier recipients...

Anyway, if you get the chance and have a tenner free, catch them.

Rating: 4 superheros

Gig Report: Plain White T's

Date: Saturday 19 January, 2008, 9.30pm
Venue: Academy 1
Face value: £11.00(ish) + booking fee
Support Act: Cartel and Boy Like Girls
Gig buddy: Phil

What on earth made me think it would be good idea to head out on a wet, miserable January night I have no idea - and it was miserable. Raining sideways is not an expression for those of us in the north, it's a fact of life. Anyway, given I have been on a stupidly big diet (seriously, this year I will lose the extra pounds, honest) AND I had been to the gym thrice in a week (ha! Virgin Active - you thought you could have my £26.95 a month and never see me again! who's the fool now!?) it seemed fair that dinner out was acceptable. And a fruit beer. Unfortunately, the latter was again not on offer at the Kro Bar (second time in a row and it's not like I was late!!) so I was left wanting at our regular haunt again. When you take away the niceties of a refreshing strawberry beer, Kro becomes any other bar, unfortunately, though their food is pretty tasty and well priced. Nevermind, I scoff my mussels and we head to the Academy as Cartel are departing the stage. Once more, the Academy is teeming with youths and I am wondering whether my age group actually go out any more... Regardless, the next support act (Boys Like Girls) are okay, even if they look like estate agents on a christmas do and are as edgy as a tennis ball. In fact, every song sounds like it's from an American angst-ridden teen movie. But they swear alot which gets the younger folk excited and mention how great Manchester is (yawn, we know, thanks). Reasonable set, though each song is a carbon copy of the other, so if you like one song, you'll like all of them. Most entertaining thing about this band is watching the bass player give himself whiplash repeatedly while they all take turns to stand on the speakers. Finally at half nine, Plain White T's enter the stage to the whooping of several hundred girls down the front. There are plenty of men too, but the lead singer (Tom Higgenson) from this Chicago band is clearly a hit with the ladies. Again, much mention of how great Manchester is and that it is better than Birmingham in a needless attempt to endear himself to the crowd. Most of the album is played and it sound good - far better performance than I expected for an £11 ticket. Short encore-break and they finish with the single that broke them over here: 'Hey There Delilah' which as expected is received very well. So well in fact that we estimated that 25% of the audience were recording it on their camera-phones. Check out youtube - bound to be a hundred clips on there, minimum. Shame people can't just enjoy the experience.

Overall: Average gig, reasonable value for £11. Don't go expecting every song to sound like 'Delilah'. They don't.

Rating: 3 radio friendly guitars.