THE LOUNGE KITTENS provide an entertaining, alternative acapella opening forty-five-minute set – By Guy Shankland. The harmonising trio kick off with a medley off American Ska-Punk which includes hits by Bowling For Soup, Blink 182, Offspring and Wheatus. Theirs is an interesting concept with the only musical accompaniment being central keyboards which somehow manages to turn every intro into the old TV game show ’Name That Tune’. (If you know the show you’re older than me !). The Foo’s ’Breakout’ then a Slipknot classic is followed by another medley this time of 80-90’s cartoon/kids TV theme tunes. There is a noticeable large collective smile which sweeps across the audience faces as Thundercats, Transformers, Inspector Gadget, Ducktails and host of others all awake nostalgic, post-school and Saturday morning memories. After a Download medley plus Steel Panthers ‘Glory Hole’ and a few jokes they finish with a ‘Bangers section’. It reads like a best of album that is released prior to every Father’s Day as Quo, Queen, Reef, Feeder, Europe and Adam Ant are all given the Kittens claws. Enjoyable, funny, inappropriate and perfect for gatherings such as these, The Lounge Kittens are worth turning up early for. Tonight is a songs and words type of affair as JARET REDDICK strips down his impressive back catalogue for an emotive acoustic runout. Starting off with ‘If You Come Back To Me’ and ‘Bitch Song’ gets the crowd onside from the moment the first note is strummed. Jaret is a superb storyteller and a natural Ska-Punk bon vivant. Bowling For Soups career timeline along with personal, funny and heartbreaking stories flow throughout the impressive ninety-plus minute performance. ’Val Kilmer’, ’Ohio’ and ‘Surf Colorado’ are all interspersed with tales of love, fame and Rock ‘N’ Roll stupidity. The evening takes a serious twist with the desperately sad ‘Goodbye Friend’ which pours out with a tangible painful longing, laced with hope and raw emotion. (A quick note on gig etiquette…If you wish to talk loudly, fake laugh and generally be a selfish drunken dick, then f**k off outside and take your pissed mates with you. This is aimed at the trio of middle-aged couples leaning on the back wall who could be heard over Jaret throughout the night. Words fail me.) ‘Phineas And Ferb’, ‘Friends ‘O’ Mine’ and the Pop Rocking perfection of ‘1985’ sends Jaret stage left. The Lounge Kittens reappear for the encore of the fan and Scuzz/Kerrang TV favourite ‘Girl All The Bad Guys Want’ which whisks us back to the future quicker than a plutonium-fuelled DeLorean. Final cut ‘Almost’ puts a bow on this up close ‘n’ personal night spent dissecting the best and worst of Jaret’s private and commercial life. Nickelodeon, depression, Hollywood, weight gain, heartache, sing-a-longs and a grin-inducing nostalgic trip for thirty plus-year-olds, (wtf). And when did Bowling For Soup become Classic Rock? Tonight.