Photos of morris dancers adorn this home of the English Folk Dance & Song Society, and the atmosphere is pin-drop reverent as the Prince's legions gather. Floorboards creak, glasses clink, and someone actually tiptoes. No wonder Will Oldham's first act is to wince, then hurl us into his world of gore, spunk, death and cunnilingus. The mountain man who tore up British stages last time round has been replaced tonight by a straight-backed loner in the smart-casual dress of the conscientious worker.

From art-damaged garage to cosmic avant jitterfunk; a box set containing 54 tracks and 13 videos charts the weird musical journey that took Talking Heads from CBGB's to MTV

Wayne holds court in front of the Lips' biggest non-festival audience to date

His Bobness kicks up a storm among the seven hills and proves he's still armed to the teeth

There are few bands, it seems, as disaster-prone as Shack. Ravaged by narcotics, crippled by debt (the sleevenotes to their third album HMS Fable infamously thanked Cash Converters) and nearly torpedoed by missing master tapes and missed opportunities, this Liverpool outfit clearly monopolise the anti-Midas touch. Matters were not helped three years ago when London Records pulled the contractual plug as well.

Lux, Ivy & co put on the most insane show Uncut has ever seen

The Addiction plug straight back into the main vein

West country girl's long-awaited return sees renewed quest for left-field status

Soul-searching partners on a trip to Dreamland

From Melbourne via LA, Horse Stories' frontman Toby Burke stands alone, and sends his lovely voice soaring up into the Union Chapel's vaulted darkness. He's essentially a singer-songwriter dressed in country raiment, but it fits him well. His is an elegant melancholy; peals of electric guitar lapping against his songs like a mournful tide. You feel he deserves an orchestra. Grand Drive's Julian and Danny Wilson were originally from Australia, but grew up in south London.