Venue: London, Shepherds Bush Empire         Date: 31st May, 2002

Set list (probably!) Let Me Go Home, the Dreamer, Flowers In Our Hair, In The Clouds, Blue Sonic Boy, Dream, Daisychains, I Don't Know, Phased, Father, Sodium, Wishing The Hours Away, Bounce, Outshine The Sun. Encores: Every Angel, Life on Mars, Our Summer, Touched by Jesus.

Now, I am no All About Eve expert, and I arrived at this gig not knowing quite what to expect.  I had heard their four previous albums, all released between 1987 and 1992, liking them without ever loving them - though I enjoyed Julianne Regan's Mice project.

However, I was intrigued.  This was a brave new beginning for the band - a full electric tour of the UK with a new guitarist - the gothic, slight looking Finn, Toni Haimi, and a bunch of brand new songs...  What would they be like?

I am glad to report that they were in fine form. My first impressions were of modernity - even an attempt to court fashion.  Trendy ski hats, shades and low-strung Les Paul guitars (the modern rocker's guitar of choice) were much in evidence. There was definitely an attitude "thang" going on.

In contrast, however, was vocalist Julianne Regan, black hair very striking against her white outfit, delivering her note-perfect vocals with infectious energy, while long-time bassist Andy Cousin chatted briefly to the audience between songs.

This was a set-list culled from the band's entire history, and it should be noted that their controversial fourth album, 'Ultraviolet', was well represented alongside earlier classics like 'Flowers in our Hair' and 'In the Clouds'. This version of the band seemed to have lost much of its lush romanticism - on the surface at least - replacing it with tougher sheen.  Less Mostly Autumn, if you like, and more Ash.

It was noticeable that songs like 'December' and 'Martha's Harbour' were missing from the set, while more up-tempo pieces remained, and they even threw in a suitably fashionable cover version of Bowie's 'Life on Mars'.

Nonetheless, it all worked splendidly. The new material, like 'Sodium' and 'I Don't Know', sounded strong on first listen, with the slightly pumped-up older songs fitting nicely with the new image of the band.

The best was left to last, with their second encore producing the two finest songs of the night, the jaunty 'Our Summer' and the uplifting 'Touched by Jesus'.  I now find myself looking forward to the new electric album, when it appears. Does that make me a convert? I think it does. Can someone lend me a copy of 'Ultraviolet'?

Stephen Lambe