Jump hit the stage and astounded the crowd by choosing the gentle Someone Else's Prayer to open their set with - "Well we'd seen the others start with a big bang so thought we'd be a little bit clever" singer John Dexter Jones told me later over a bacardi and coke. Clever it was, as the crowd were in their palms from this point on. John then thought he'd carry on being witty by mentioning the lovely brown curtains and springer spaniels. Not too sure that went down well, but give the boy some credit for trying. On Bended Knee was followed by Man was Made... There was a nice bit of atmosphere the new song When You Fall, which was referred to as "being placed somewhere between descent and addiction, for all my villagers whom return from the shithouse rubbing their noses and talking enthusiastic shite about fuck all" surely a sly and covert dig at the mainstream music press!

Then it was into another new masterpiece Staring at the Rain with its windscreen wiper beat. He started mumbling something about the last time they played there, but thought better of it. Then, inexplicably, he carried on telling about them playing Rotherham Rocks in 1993 with IQ, with something about soundchecks and Spock's Beard chucked in, though at least he swore he loved them.

All that remained was for the band to sweat profusely, while Dexter Jones removed his shades then they heavied it up with Like A Drum, softened it with Bethesda and whipped it all us with Free at Last where he treated us to his naked torso. That's an image that will stay with me for a long time. Unfortunately. For some strange reason he waved at the crowd and inexplicably we all waved back!

But the crowd loved then and there was another feeding frenzy at the merchandise desk where Jump CD!'s were literally flying off the shelves. Jumping they were, even though there weren't any shelves.

I did hear a few members moaning that the frontman had sworn even though there were children present, but fuck them, eh?

Arilyn played next, but they were'nt my bag of chips so I slunk back to the bar area in the vain hope of getting some juicy gossip or even snaging a desperate musician. I got some juicy gossip... Spock's Beard didn't have any batteries and were getting desperate, so I had a quick look for some in my bag for a laugh but my plastic friend takes C cells and they wanted AA's.

Then the Beard (as they are known) played, but I was in dire need of food, so I slipped out of the venue in search of some, but someone later told me that they played an exceptional set and were given love by the whole of the crowd.

by Ash Brown