Saw Old Crow Medicine Show in Manchester on Saturday night. I can oft be criticised for hyperbole, and usually quite fairly, I get very carried away with music. However, I doubt I will see many shows that beat Saturday night.

For those not familiar with OCMS, they are an old time string band comprised of members from all over America. They got a break supporting Gillian Welch a few years back and ended up on stage at Cambridge Folk Festival after busking at the event.

But this show was special. They are clever, relating the local audience of Manchester to Virginia where they are based and take a lot of their bluegrass influence together. They released a version of Woodie Guthrie's "Hear them All" on their album Big Iron World, and played it with the more well known "This Land is Your Land" on Saturday, subsituting the original lyrics with words about Britain.

Then ended with a cover of Dirty Old Town and the Smith's Panic. Something I never thought I'd hear.

Genuinely the best live musical performance I have been lucky enough to see.

Each to their own. Any particular reason why?

Seen Weller twice at the Manchester Appollo and Bruce Springsteen at Old Trafford (the Man United one). Would dearly love to see Mumford & Sons and the Killers if the opportunity arises.

Because I feel they are taking the mickey these days. Townshend and Daltry, with a handful of backing musicians, are not The Who, they are Daltrey and Townshend with a handful of backing musicians. If the gig was advertised as such I'd venture that they'd not sell a fraction of the tickets, and wouldn't be able to fleece punters to the extent they are.


If the line up included Moon and Entwistle (Yes, I know!) THEN I'd be interested, but to pay £60 or whatever to watch a bunch of glorified session musicians backing someone who can no longer hear what he's playing is having a laugh at mug punters expence.

I saw Calexico at the Manchester Ritz last night - If there's a better live band out there at the moment then I'd like to be directed that way.

Only complaint was the ridiculously early curfew, which I understand is the norm for the Ritz....Anybody know the reason for this?

It's because they turn the venue into a night club after a gig. The same was in effect when I saw OCMS there. As we drove back out the queues for the club were forming.

Bruce Springsteen - Leeds Arena ? Yes please !!!!

Me too if I can get the tickets. They'll be a mad rush for this one above all the other Wrecking Ball Tours - seeing as Leeds Arena doesn't officiall open until September.

Just seen that the support act for Muse in June when I go to see them is Dizzee Rascal. Not best impressed!

....Jesus, that sounds like a gig to avoid like the plague.....Good luck, you have my sympathies.

They have a habbit for that kind of thing. The Streets supported them at Wembley a few years ago.

Lucky enough to get an invite to see Gabriel & Dresden in Seattle tomorrow night Not seen them before so looking forward to that, their self titled debut album was sublime!!

Sonic Boom Six on Tuesday, then The Talks EP launch 7 March, and I'm sure I'm supposed to see someone else too...

I'm looking forward to seeing Bruce Springsteen at Leeds Arena too