Wooo tonight was fun.

Owen and I went again to the IndigO2 - what is this love affair I have with North Greenwich suddenly? - to see the The Bedford Bandstand. Now what that all meant was bupkiss to me, all I knew was that it meant seeing Kiki Dee in concert for the first time in...um... 31 years!

It's nice to know we are both still around.

It turns out the titular Bedford is in fact the Bedford pub in Balham which has a reputation as a live music venue allegedly so the Bandstand is a way of showcasing acts who have done well there in the more toney atmosphere of the IndigO2.

We arrived just after the time for doors opening to find them in fact closed. Around 8pm the doors were opened to the small queue of punters - so the show was delayed by over 30 minutes which needless to say was never made up.

It was odd to walk in and find the front of the stage actually seated! It later was revealed a conference had been held there during the day and they did not have time to change the layout but sitting is good, I can do sitting. After having seen the place heaving for the Sugababes - Waaay Number One this week with the fab About You Now - it was fun to see it with um... less people in it. We sat in the centre of the fourth row from the stage and had a clear view as the whole centre of the third row was empty. Oooop. The audience was small but keen to clap it must be said.

Our garrulous host Tony Moore sang a song and introduced the first act Beth Rowley. How to describe her... imagine a Joss Stone without the hype and a liking for Billie Holliday. I really liked her, great voice, a couple of good songs and how good to hear a new Brit girl singer with a BIG voice - unlike the Mockney twitterings of the Allen and Nash bints. I have of course asked to be her friend on MySpazz. No I did not take the picture.

After she left to big applause we had Mamas Gun who certainly gave bang for your buck. A heady punchy mix of Sly & The Family Stone, early 70s Stevie Wonder and Jamiroquai - if only for the cocky lead singer Andy Platts - they were another big surprise. I really enjoyed this genuinely funky band. I have of course asked to be their friend on MySpazz. No I did not take the picture.

After a quick break we got the one duffer of the evening singer/songwriter Nick Hall. Like we need another introspective male singer/songwriter right now. But it kept the women in the first few rows busy with their mobile phone cameras. I liked the lighting.

He could easily have dropped a few of his songs to make way for Bolton's own Pauline Mathews and the world's own Kiki Dee with her musical partner for the past 13 years guitarist Carmelo Luggeri. I have been a fan of Kiki Dee since her first big career break in the early-mid 1970s and have always had a soft spot for her - especially when I learnt of her Motown career and her years of singing backing vocals for Dusty Springfield in the mid 60s. Apart from seeing her in the west end musicals BLOOD BROTHERS and PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES the last time I saw her live was headlining at the Royal Albert Hall on 2nd December 1976 - it's an easy date to remember as it was the day after the Sex Pistols met Bill Grundy!

She was great tonight, that remarkable voice is still there although it isn't as taxed with her new material which is very chill-out as she herself described it. Luggeri provided a fierce guitar sound for her to sing and play occasional keyboards against. She looked good too, that familiar chestnut hair framing her face with it's sharp cheekbones and jutting chin. She looked relaxed and in control and for a 60 y/o veteran of the British music scene that is no mean feat. The set consisted mostly of songs she has recorded with Luggeri but there were covers of Sinatra's "It Was A Very Good Year" - a song I've never liked but she did it ok - a surprisingly effective "Running Up that Hill" and - EEEEEEEEK! - "I've Got The Music In Me" - acoustic and stripped down but still n all - wow!! Oh and yes I did take these pictures.

So despite getting out at 11.30 and racing the last tubes across London to get home I had a very enjoyable night discovering new acts to keep an eye on and rediscovering an old favourite.