This was a semi-private launch party for Nick's new album 'Miracles', (which is reviewed elsewhere in this hallowed and revered column) and it was nice to see so many of Bolton's 'glitterati' turning up for the occassion. After a 12 month period when live music was about as fashionable as the plague, it seems that watching a band is now becoming 'hip' again and there's nothing wrong with that.

To be honest, there's not much I can add to what I said when I reviewed the album. Nick has assembled quite a tasty little 5-piece band here with special mention going to top session drummer Norman Cook on percussion and fellow singer/songwriter Nick Bold on lead guitar(who also adds some nice harmonies not that present on the album). Even the lighting engineer had a great musical pedigree, being none other than Linda Jennings who came second in the final of this year's North West Songwriting Competition (good job, kid!).

I happen to know this band are well rehearsed, so this performance was extremely smooth. I've seen a lot of bands with a good album fail to deliver the goods when reproducing it on stage. They either under-perform or go too much over the top, but Nick's bunch add just about the right ammount of 'rawness' to a load of good tunes (that's experience for you!).

All in all, an impressive gig indeed, and if that 'Harley Davidson' song got the right airplay it could be a genuine biggie (I couldn't stop singing it the following day). Anyway leave that to me, I'm well in with the HOGs y'know!

I genuinely can't wait to see them again, and suggest you give them a whirl...trust me, I'm a musician!