大象传媒

Seven days after this gig, Peter Wilson will be leading Duke Special in front of the Ulster Orchestra at the Waterfront, Belfast. But this week he's in the skanky little Rotterdam Bar, playing a secret show to 50 fans and friends and declaring that this particular joint is his favourite in the city.

He's also reunited with R茅a Curran, a Duke Special comrade who's increasingly working on his own career. The latter will play piano, floor tom, accordion, tambourine and will even blow 茂驴陆trumpet' solos through an old gramophone horn. The facilities are basic and the PA system will shudder a few times, but this is still enormous value.

As well as heading copper-bottomed classics like 茂驴陆Brixton Leaves' and 茂驴陆Scarlett', there's some fun with covers of 听茂驴陆I'll Be Your Baby Tonight' and 茂驴陆Don't Put Your Daughter On The Stage Mrs Worthington'. R茅a delivers the latter with Noel Coward's greatest aplomb, while his Kurt Weill, cabaret dimension is also exercised well. And a Curran original, 茂驴陆Celestial Feedback' is stunning and proper.

Peter takes this opportunity to play new tracks such as 茂驴陆This Happiness Is Out Of Control' which repeats the title, mantra-like, until enlightenment arrives. Think of the Elliott Smith tune, 茂驴陆Everything Reminds Me Of 听Her' and you're in the right zone. 听Another new idea, 茂驴陆This Might Be Healing' is tender and close up, like Leonard Cohen while 茂驴陆Love Is Connection' resumes the sentimental side of Victoriana.

I exit with the phrase 茂驴陆Oh My Careless Heart' scribbled on a beermat. It might be the title of a song, or even a state of mind. Whatever, it was another event that felt extremely real and true.

Stuart Bailie