Graham Coxon

Pound for pound (and it's a wallet-bursting 17 Sterling to get into the Leadmill tonight), I'd say Graham Coxon is easily one of contemporary indie's greatest songwriters. Take tonight's set: even though it's packed with stuff from his latest long player Love Travels At Illegal Speeds, each and every tune sounds like it's already an established classic.

Of course, there are plenty of songs he's written that undeniably fit that description: 'Freakin' Out' and 'Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery' are the two obvious picks, but I'd say the likes of 'No Good Time' and 'Spectacular' from 2004's Happiness In Magazines are easily their equal.

True, material from his other solo albums is thin on the ground tonight, but El Coxo's been in the game long enough to know what a crowd wants to hear. Apologising first for his voice and then for his “mardyness”, the affable Londoner starts slowly before getting into his stride with a rousing version of recent single 'What's He Got', even throwing his mouth organ to the ground in playful fashion when it fails to produce the necessary notes during the song's instrumental break.

Bad bits? New Ramones-referencing single 'What Ya Gonna Do Now?' doesn't spark on first listen, and we almost miss the beginning due to a prompt 8.30 start. Oh, and he doesn't play 'Tell It Like It Is'. Still, with a six-song encore and thirteen during the main set, it'd be churlish to complain. By my estimation, that's less than a quid per song. Bargain!

Photo by Gary Wolstenholme

one of contemporary indie's greatest populist songwriters??