Gig review of Rob Nichols + All Star 69ers

Your reviewer failed to make it in time for Matthew Hill or the Frankling Mint, but enthusiastic punters reassured him they'd been good. Especially the bass player in Frankling Mint when he sang.

All Star 69ers come bouncing on as a novelty band with fabulous (for one night only!) Hawaiian shirts, big smiles and a six foot crowd invading crocodile called Jazz. They played through their own slightly ploddy 4/4 rock and covered Good Vibrations and Johnnie B. Goode as well as you would expect. Most of the crowd were reluctant to join in the fun, but the band kept it going with excellent heart. Palm trees, a Malibu board and various inflatable objects decorated the set and the infamous stripey sock puppets lip-synced their way through some cheesy baritone nonsense from another age. Some sort of technical wizard operated a phonographic device in another part of the room. I think I'd be inclined work harder on the music and leave the fun and games to someone else. Or vice versa.

Rob Nichols comes on next, in expansive birthday mood and a great hat. "Where's my brother?" he demands, in a "my party and I'll ..." kind of voice. The close relative is needed because a) he's getting the beer in and b) he's supposed to be playing bass in the band. And a) comes before b), obviously.

But once it's started, we leave the nonsense behind and I remember why I've come in the first place. Rob is his own man. You have to go half way with him, but the journey is always worth the effort.

The band add a loose but tough strength to his performance tonight. Thankfully there's no polish, but there's a lot of joy in hearing people who listen out and play for each other in the service of good songs. That's a rare treat in these days of over rehearsed and hollow material.

Rob's dead serious Beat poet persona is soothed by the band, and his singing and presentation is warmer than I remember from his solo act. It's parallel to the Dylan/Band relationship that caused so much bother all those years ago. There's a good natured edge to it. "Welsh Avenue" is an absolute gem. Good on his recordings and solo, it comes into its own as a classic when done with a band. The rhythm section opens up some space for the voice and the melody to work in, and it's a treat to hear.

He used a bit of a Steps song for the daftness of it (but I didn't notice.) And he played his BBC top cover version of "Love will tear us apart" solo this time. It's a very good version too, and shows the value in seeding your own set with a reworking of someone else's good song. Reworking, that is. Not a blotchy copy.

Rob's a fixture on the Leeds scene, and well worth everyone's time and money. He goes out there for his art, and if you don't want to follow, fair enough. Your loss.