Steve Fryer reports:

At Brighton last night the drama for me started as soon as I arrived. When I purchased my ticket the pleasant lady said "there you are you've got the last one". So having come very close to not being admitted, there I was, part of a Kevin Ayers "sold out" event ! Once inside the Komedia is like a traditional cabaret venue with food being served up to the interval. Didn't look right to start with and I initially felt that many of the approx 180 attending were there just as regulars at their local cabaret spot. Champagne and Valium doesn't seem to go with Scampi and Chips.

The early songs were politely received but it seemed then that there was too much audience chatter for it to become a vintage gig. Kevin also looked a bit uncomfortable with it all and I thought his microphone last night was unflattering to his voice. After the first few songs however, the audience became more attentive (profiteroles finished presumably) and a terrific atmosphere built up. By the time Lady Rachel was played the Ayers aficionados found their voices and Kevin himself seemed to pick up the energy being generated from his talented band.

I know I am sometimes guilty of over enthusiasm but the latter part of last nights performance made this one of my favourite ever gigs. The Starvin Marvin band are a wonderful unit and Alain's guitar seems to be getting even better (if thats possible). Kevin, though a little weary looking throughout, was in good form too. There was much swaying and singing along to Whatevershebringswesing and we had far more songs than at the prematurely curtailed Borderline gig. There was an encore as well after the audience had nearly brought the ceiling down.

There are clearly more Ayers fans out there than we sometimes imagine and they were richly rewarded last night. Difficult to remember the full batting order but it was something like: Feeling This Way, Champagne and Valium, Mr Cool, When your Parents....., There Goes Johnny, Blaming It all on Love, Lady Rachel (interval) May I ,Super Salesman, Everybody's Sometime...Blues, See You Later, Didn't Feel Lonely, Whatevershebringswesing, Shouting in a Bucket Blues, Big Bamboo, Beware of the Dog, Stranger in Blue Suede shoes and encore - Thank You Very Much