Public Service Broadcasting

And just when you think no one's ever going to do anything with the pop song again that will give you the absolute thrill of the moment with none of the associated analysis and intellectualising, then along comes Public Service Broadcasting.

On paper, it's a simple enough formula: real drums, loads of sequenced keyboards and some cracking guitar, all topped off with samples of old public service broadcasts. But it works so very, very well. So much better than you might even - and ever - optimistically expect.

This evening, The Minx and I went to see them in Holmfirth, accompanied by that loveliest of couples, @delphdahling and @not_twothree. Ah, Holmfirth, home of Last of the Summer Wine and, more recently, the author @jerowney. Also the location of the Picturedrome, a venue I've long fancied visiting, ever since I unexpectedly found myself in Holmfirth on business and saw The Wedding Present were playing there that evening.

Neither the venue nor the band disappointed us. The sound was fantastic and every song was a novelty: I wasn't bored once. And the joy of going along with @not_twothree - my partner in crime for #7x25 - was that I could have a conversation that started with him suggesting a parallel with Kraftwerk, which was absolutely spot on. It's partly the humour, partly the use of technology as a barrier between band and audience. Not once did the band speak to us directly - there were no microphones - but only by the use of samples: "Good evening..." "Holmfirth", yet there was plenty of miming and mugging behind these sampled messages.

The use of the black and white footage in the background was reminiscent of The Human League and the banjo brought Sufjan Stevens to mind but I don't want to suggest Public Service Broadcasting were in any way derivative: they were fresh, funny, entertaining and a great reminder of just why I love going to see live music.