Mogwai

In November 1983, I saw Gary Numan playing live for the first time. I think I hadn't quite yet taken my driving test, so it would have been my girlfriend who drove us to Guildford Civic Hall for the concert. I mention this not because it was a great gig - it wasn't - but because as the intro music played, I remember being disconcerted by the fact that the bass synth was resonating with my chest, causing it to rumble. I'd never experienced anything like that before.

Over the ensuing forty years, I have been to many, many live performances, some of which have inevitably been louder than others, but tonight's performance by Mogwai at Manchester's Albert Hall is definitely the loudest.

And it wasn't just a question of decibels; any fool can crank up the volume knob. No, there was something in the fulllness of the sound that made me feel totally and completely immersed. But at no point did I think it was too loud, I never felt inclined to protect my ears in any way. Really, it was only when we went outside, and I felt like I had cotton wool in my ears, that I realised just how loud it had been.

And the music was fantastic. Highpoints for me were 'Mogwai Fear Satan' and 'My Father, My King', but the whole gig was simply tremendous.

(My Extra shows the Minx, stood up on the sill by the stained-glass window, clearly transported.)