Here's another list member who was at the thoroughly excellent Sheffield gig last week! Despite narrowly avoiding being involved in a small pile-up high up on the Pennines en route, and despite a seemingly endless tour of Sheffield trying to actually find the venue, a very good evening seemed to be had by all. Sooty, Sweep and Sue (you had to be there) were all on fine form in every respect. Did anyone else notice that Julianne's voice sounded especially powerful at one or two points in certain songs? She was really belting out the decibels, especially during 'Every Angel', I felt.

Yes, a nice enough venue, although it was the first acoustic show I've been to where the audience were partly seated and partly standing. A few people have commented that the audience were well behaved, which after a very polite opening half ("it's like being on a first date" quips the Regan woman) was certainly true. However, I couldn't fail to notice the rising background chatter emanating from the bar area, during the first half of the second set. I noticed several people standing near me turning around to see why those nearer the bar were talking rather than paying attention to the band they had paid to come and watch. Thankfully, when the music was in full flow, the nattering was barely noticeable. But during any quite passages in a song, it became a little distracting. Thankfully, it seemed to die away for the last quarter of the show. And yes, the applause the band received was nothing short of rapturous!

To those who weren't there, small notes were handed out before the show, stating that the bar would actually be closed during the performance. A good idea, I thought, but this wasn't quite how things worked out, with the bar being open all evening. But like I said, for three-quarters of the show, I wouldn't have known it was there if I hadn't passed it on the way in.

So, all-in-all, another really enjoyable show, and good vibes all round; enough to make the drive back through an endless blanket of fog over the bleak and desolate Pennines seem a doddle!

- Chris Owen