OK hands up - I was wrong.
Don't believe the hype, and not everything you see in the Sunday supplements is true.

I first saw them live in front of 150 people at the Roadmender in Northampton three years ago just before the release of Black Cherry, and have watched in desperation their career path slide down in the mire of commercial superstardom since then. 2000s Felt Mountain is probably in my Top Three best albums of all time. I love its sheer weirdness!
Struggled with Black Cherry, especially after the live show which was absolutely superb. No pretensions, just belting out stunning versions of Twist and Train etc. Adrian Utley impressed me then with his bass playing. The album I found disappointing, but its grown on me. Supernature, last years third album has failed to grow on me so far and seems a rather poor imitation of its predecessor. There is some progression there, but the experimental edge has been lost. As so happens of course. The Human League spring to mind...
But anyway, last night.
I was expecting a glammed up Pop dive aka Madonna, in sparkly stuff with the Monroe-style image she seems to have adopted for publicity shots lately, cavorting around with dancers and an orchestra and all that.
Forget it.
On stage now as a five piece. Alison singing and Adrian on bass together at the front. Will Gregory (a genius in monk's clothing) at the back playing just about everything, a drummer and a keyboard player.
Hardly recognized Alison! Straight hair - looking not unlike Toyah??
They couldn't have started better with the title track from Felt Mountain, and the set went on to include about five songs from each of the albums. A good mix, and the stuff really blends together well. Brilliant light show, and her voice (why is it vocoded on the singles and the new album??) is really strong. I was mesmerised throughout and found the renditions of Train, Lovely Head, Stict machine and Ride A White Horse the stand outs.
Superb closer - Black Cherry with just vocals and Will on violin.

Still can't balance what I saw and heard last night with the media whore that's in all the music papers and churning out a single every since weeks six Ooh Lalala made them into "overnight" stars. Its fascinating to have seen a band grow from the beginning and, humble pie aside, I think there is still respect to be shown for a band bursting with talent. Just hope they don't sell out completely this year and get their act together with a more 'difficult' follow up album.

Just for fun, I'm tagging this post with Goldfrapp. Thus I will generate skwillions more hits.
Thanks for coming. You've been amazing.
Good night!

My daughter has a job! A real job, with contracts and terms and everything.
I never thought she would, but it turns out that her week last of looking for soemthing she wants to do has paid dividends.
Saturday last week - into "SnappySnaps" with a CV and a phone call from them on Monday arranging an interview Wednesday morning. Not just photoprocessing, but all manner of digital printing and generally learning how things work in that field. Exactly the kind of experience she is looking for. The money sounds a bit crap (£200 a week) but she feels its excellent, which is what counts.
She starts on 13th, and is already planning to buy a car - which will be a real bonus.
Her journey down here yesterday was a nightmare.
The nationalrail.co.uk website said 3hrs via Euston and Waterloo for £22.70. That price in reality turned out to be £45.00 so she had to take a different route via Watford and Clapham junction for £33.00.
Another reason not to buy anything online...
Took her nearly 4hrs to get here so she was pissed off and frozen when I picked her up from the station.
Hey ho.
And I've promised to drive her back to Oxford on Sunday which will go down like a lead balloon at home.