Tweedy and what's left of his band are further vindicated in crackling, moving display

North London gets an audience with a living legend who's found a brand new lease of life

Meltdown Festival, London Royal Festival Hall Saturday June 12, 2004

Raucous Californians give their punk-funk stew a London airing, with a little help from the Godfather

The legendary New York glam-punk posse return in triumph

The timing of this show is somewhat odd, coming as it does nearly a month before the release of Malin's second album, The Heat. The audience doesn't know the new songs and Jesse chides them for their reserve when he plays the unfamiliar material. He admits it's his own fault, though. The album was meant to be out now, but was delayed when he added two extra tracks.

American Music Club/Richmond Fontaine QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL LONDON Sunday May 23, 2004 Richmond Fontaine take to the stage looking like they've walked out of Bob Rafelson's Five Easy Pieces.

The Boston grunge-pop godheads make the most significant rock comeback in a decade

The toast(ed teacake) of Tinseltown comes home. DVD to follow

As a prelude to tonight's particularly goosefleshy rendition of "Not Even Stevie Nicks...", Calexico frontman Joey Burns gets to tell his Glen Campbell story. "Scottsdale, Arizona, is a very strange place," he begins. "We have friends who've been to his house there. As you enter the driveway, electric bells start playing 'Rhinestone Cowboy', then barking dogs drown out the chorus." Burns stops fingering the chords of the buckskin balladeer's biggest hit and pauses, senses a certain bafflement in the audience.