Bands always get a better review from me if they have good betwixt-song banter. I’m not after philosophical depth, just an acknowledgement of the audience and perhaps the odd bit of information about particular tracks. Tellison and Johnny Foreigner, however, went way beyond that.

I’ve only seen Tellison once before, a couple of years ago in Manchester, and don’t own any of their records. I also arrived five minutes after their set actually started. Nevertheless, just like in Manchester, they drew me in immediately and put on a great show. Fun, catchy and great to watch.

Johnny Foreigner were great last time I saw them, but they were also very quiet and left me with the distinct impression that they were all very grumpy. They proved me absolutely wrong with an exceedingly cheery gig. It was the first night of a UK tour, and despite being beset with more technical problems than I’ve ever known at one gig, they really stepped it up a level. The boy/girl vocals thing really floats my boat, and there was energy in spades.

My only regret is that the set didn’t last longer, but that was a product of the curfew rather than the band I think. Johnny Foreigner really connected with the crowd at the Social, and that inevitably leads to a great night regardless of the artist; this was no exception.