So here we are, nearing oblivion nearly one year on and what has changed? A lot: no more Paul (although I observed him crossing Blackfriars bridge in a Northern direction at lunchtime this very day), and they've now mutated into a Gibson/Marshall Heavy Psychedelic Rock outfit. The music's now labelled "Death Acid Rock" as opposed to the HSNTF tour's "Psychedelic Acid Trash Metal" and they've certainly grown in confidence along the way. Other than that, its basically going to be another Acolytes gig - though the non-appearance of the Theydon crew is a bit of a downer. Perhaps it's only to be expected given the level of the performance at the Centrepoint melee just one week ago. Well, at least there's more room...

The tub-thumping tribal beat announces the arrival onstage of The Royal Drummers Of Burundi and - oh no, it's just the Acolytes, with 'new' song "Ethnic"; wailing guitar (sound familiar?), graunching bass and rhythm guitar and the song already looks like a classic after what, two, three showings?

The two gigs, though within the space of just one week, could not have been more different - mainly due to the amount of alcohol consumed by Alastair, no doubt. Tonight's show is raucous, rehearsed (!) and actually quite superb. There is no falling over onstage, no interruptions, no hideously tuned guitars and no stupid antics - not their side of the stage anyhow. Possible exception here is where Andy dances with his mike stand, uprights it, and dances with its feet instead - really quite clever actually - what a showman!!

The set has developed - new songs here and there mean the exclusion of "Get Down", "San Francisco" and "Meet Me". Instead we're treated to "Newie", "Newboid's" and the trash closing of "Far Out".

Halfway through it is quite obvious that tonight's gig is more than just the "apology for the last one" that Andy promised (if they were to carry on like that would they ever play their second gig?) and finally, we're treated to something approaching the form that we were promised way back at St. Margaret's so long ago now. The show is impressive: lights, smoke and sound combining in a raspberry flavoured... oh, something literary and poetic that sounds really impressive. Pity that they're not using the old backdrop anymore...

As the set moves ever onwards, we hear of complaints in the bar of staff not being able to see what they're doing and a glance 'round the corner confirms the impressively low visibility. The venue's own lighting is complemented well by the band's own, now rather large collection of various visual delights and the excellent sound belays all fears of the 'Sir George Ropey'. Even Cath notices the difference in sound, as she later remarks to Mike:

"It sounded different..."
"Yeah, 'cos we weren't using our own amps."

The only complaint is that the set is curtailed slightly due to time and as a result a couple of the trashier numbers are performed adjacently, without the intervention of one of the poppier ones to allow the recovery of the old eardrums. Perhaps it's just that 'Far Out' should be a short and sweet assault on the senses as opposed to the overblown... er, well whatever...

The slightly thin crowd is visibly impressed by the Acolytes' showing tonight and they receive their most enthusiastic reception from a neutral audience yet, who clap enthusiastically and are occasionally even moved to cheering. As with the Leeds night, it's "Crazy Horses" that exacts the greatest response.

The evening ends with a lift back from dodgy rhythm guitarist "Mad" Mike Cheddarcheez and some even dodgier street racing.

Set: Ethnic, LFDY, Trans European Excess, Body, Crazy Horses, Newboid's, King Of California, 3-0-0-1, Far Out