I heard ‘Villa Elaine’ around the time it was released back in ‘98. Tonight was going to be the first time I’d seen Remy Zero play a headline gig. Admittedly, I caught them yesterday supporting Weezer @ Brixton Academy but big venues are never best because every bit of emotion has to be split and divided out equally. Tonight: this was the one I was looking forward to since the day dot.

First up, totally unknown and unheard of band Budapest. They look like a band ready for daytime tv. Their songs are tight enough to get a round of applause from Coldplay, Haven and Toploader adoree’s. The thing is, they actually sound quite good, if not a little too polished and use enough warm chords to melt ice caps faster than Bush could on a day of ticking boxes. Scary thought that. You’ll be hearing about this lot soon, probably when Jo Whiley discovers them. If someone posts them some dEUS records, let’s hope the inspiration rubs off, because they could be everything you’d ever want in a band…maybe.

Some applause, waiting, star spotting (“ooh look it’s travis”) and beer supping later, they take to the stage infront of a lucky bunch of people - mostly publicly displaying couples or the clever girls who don’t usually swoon. But swoon they do. If you’ve never heard Remy Zero before try and imagine what it would be like watching Mercury Rev kick Bono until every bone in his body is broken. They’re interesting enough to have fans who are stars, like Billy Corgan, Courtney Love, blah, blah-fucking-blah. They’re quite simply great and tonight was a testament to that, as much as it was a treat…

I’ve totally forgotten exactly what songs were played in what order. Let’s just say all the best bits from ’Villa Elaine’ and the new album ’The Golden Hum were sprinkled amongst the hour or so the band were onstage. Cinjun’s voice soared and wailed, with the occasional husk of a newborn child. The whole sound kept leaping into the air further than any expectation could’ve fathomed. It all had to creep back down south again and what a way to go, ’Perfect Memory’ was an absolute tear-jerker, with fjords ready to rip open chasms when we discover the song is written about his dad who “died a slow and painful death”. It’s strange, everyone who has been touched by Remy Zero has their own meanings or contexts releated to each of their songs and with the band right infront of you, these feelings rush around your head but quite clearly only really belong to the band – it almost makes reality seem as if it sits in Cinjuns head as it rests on his hands before he flicks, points, makes big shapes and strums away with his arms, occasionally sipping champagne courtesy of Fran Healy… really hope he was taking some notes, rather than just spending them.

It all ends. Re-begins. They decide “we love England again”. There’s mutual affection within the screams and whoops. They play ’Fair’ after a crowd vote. Each string stroke orbits the room. Thin morsels of vocal slice the rooms emotion in half and it grows back double, like a child, a knife and a worm. There is no magic about it, it’s as natural as the bands use of the elements to sometimes surreally and just about always sum up existence in all shapes and forms. That’s why I was looking forwards to tonight and that was why they exceeded my anticipation, because for once, there is a band who don’t let people down. Maybe it was their best ever and they won’t be this great ever again, if so, hahahahaarrgghh you missed it. Suckers!