BELLE AND SEBASTIAN Sydney Opera House, May 5 Oh yes, we know how to have fun at a Belle And Sebastian concert. Twin recorder solo. Dual melodicas. A keytar. In your face, System Of A Down! Suddenly realising – years into watching him perform – that guitarist Stevie Jackson in a buttoned up suit, has the same wiggle-hipped moves, pursed lips and playing style as former Go-Between Robert Forster. Eat his knotted tie, Bruno Mars! But wait, there’s more: a Springsteen-like foray

Glasgow’s finest pop romantics return to Australia in a few weeks. In 2004 they made their first visit here and some of us who had been waiting eight years were politely quivering with excitement, our overlong scarves waving in the air. We were rewarded. BELLE AND SEBASTIAN Enmore Theatre, July 25 This was a room of people who had spent their school years being bullied by the toughs in the Lower Fifth and then by burly blokes in engineering who sucked down beers and eviscerat

The second half of the near impossible task of pulling 50 songs from 50 years. A mad idea, filled with frustrations at all the ones I couldn’t pick. But, yeah, fun nonetheless. 1990: Sonic Youth – Kool Thing The year I finally got Sonic Youth, or they crossed over to my side. Droll, sexy and sung by one of my favourite bassplayers (along with Tina Weymouth, Bruce Thomas, Paul McCartney & Andy Rourke). Found out recently she’s a pretty cool interview too. 1991: Joni Mitchell –