O2 Stage, Friday 11th July, 6.30pm



Describe in a Tweet: Duke Special may be up against it, but has the charm to win over a few random converts.



What happened: It's great that he's here of course - the likes of Duke Special adds an interesting to a festival which has been criticized for being a little 'meat n' two veg' in the past. But the fact remains this isn't really the right setting for vaudevillian antics and knees up about missing silent movie stars from the 1920s. To their credit though, a small gathering give it their best shot.



This is a high: 'Salvation Tambourine' has enough of an impact that Peter Wilson is encouraged to greet the entire front row and do a little lap of the stage. The entire set is great of course, but it seems to float above and beyond all but a few enthusiastic types who are giving the guys what the deserve - total adulation.



This is a low: Not so much a criticism - we know they're winning over a crowd they rarely deal with. But what we get is more of a straight forward advertisement of Duke Special's worth, rather than the all out random onslaught of fun that we're used to with his headline shows up north. Maybe next year.



Oxegen rating: 7/10