Idlewild are playing this special warm-up show for Glastonbury in what many would consider a small venue, especially by their standards. From 7.30 there were cues around the block and although there were the obvious 'here to be seen' crowd, most were genuine fans looking to see their heroes live... but could the Scottish 5 piece live up to the task?

As I queue to get in to the venue, no-one is 100% certain who the support tonight is. Some say Ikara Colt, some say Aereogramme and someone says she hopes it will be Miss Black America. I turn to the girl and she tells me that she loves drownedisound and only found out about the gig tonight because of the site (and this is before I told her I worked for it!) When I started almost 2 years ago, we had dreams and ambition. Now people are talking about us in a positive manner outside Idlewild gigs... I felt proud!

At 8.30 a band come on stage and they mutter and stumble about a bit... then they play and my god, if they are not the best thing I have heard this year! I eventually find out they are called Danny Connors and to see them live is a privelige! Coming on like the fucked up offspring of The White Stripes & The Coral being lead by the insane brother of Howlin Pele. I know that description will put many people off but you are the ones who miss out. Songs such as 'Skinheads & Hippies' are just superb and when they leave after their 30 minute set, I doubt that the headliners can even compete... they were that damn good!

At 9.15 Colchester current finest come in the form of Hirameka Hi-Fi (who I, for my sins, got mixed up with Mo-Ho-Bish-Op-I in my mind). I have heard a lot about them through various people so I stop talking about The Danny Connors (to anyone who would listen) and prepare for something as good as the openers. I hate to say it, but the band were bad... very bad. All through the set they were poorly recieved and it was unsuprising, even in front of a home crowd. I think the fact they were supporting Idlewild made people expect something a bit special but it never materialised and when they left the stage (ironically after their best song of the night which had no lyrics) no-one really seemed to care. Was it just a bad night for them? Possibly. Either way, they made no new fans tonight.

10.10, the stage is set, the crowd are crammed together in a sweaty mess of bodies... and Steve Lamacq comes onstage. Unbeknown to me, this is for the Radio One Evening Session... as if the crowd needed any more psyching up! On to the stage troop Idlewild and thats it... bedlam. From the very first chord, the crowd were bouncing (and falling on some occasions). The band mix it up nicely with old and new tracks running back to back. 'Roseability' & 'When I Argue I See Shapes stuck out as pure gems and one song really stood out for me as it broke up the pure mosh with a nice, heartfelt kinda ballad (coulda been 'You Held The World In Your Arms but I am unsure, I am not a die-hard fanatic). Onstage banter is minimal and with the exception of Roddy's 'spin-the-mike-to-the-crowd' trick, there is little conversion between the crowd and the band.

They leave 50 minutes later but return soon enough for the encore (5 minutes of continuous shouting usually does the trick) and play 4 songs which eventually erupted with the song requested by everyone ALL night 'Captain.' I, for my sins, had never heard this song before tonight... I regret it. I am headlong in the pit getting extremely sweaty and getting knocked about like an oversived weeble... but I don't care, this song ROCKS!!!

They leave the stage again and people head out. I spot Steve Lamacq in one corner and have a word (he likes what Dis is doing, it's official) and we talk about Miss Black America before I head for the train station.

In a nut shell the gig on the whole was superb and if nothing else, I have discovered Danny Connors and seen Idlewild... result, I think!