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Double delight

3:26pm Thursday 12th October 2006

Ranging from the quirky to the bawdy: Teddington Theatre Club's Double Take, in the studio of the Hampton Hill Playhouse last weekend, illustrated that humour can take many forms.

Spandex-tight playing

2:59pm Wednesday 6th July 2005

With heavy traces of Placebo and other like-minded, goth-metal boys, Ariel-X are a devastatingly spandex-tight act.

Brian Auger This Wheel's On Fire: The Best of Brian Auger (Castle) One-time Beckenham resident Brian Auger will always be known for AbFab theme This Wheel's On Fire, but as this 17-track best of reveals there's so much more to him than that. From mod classics such as Black Cat and Fool Killer to acid jazz inspirations Freedom Jazz Dance and Indian Rope Man, he has been a touchstone for Britain's underground R'n'B/jazz scene since the 60s. This rounds up all the best bits plus a smattering of single-only releases making it a must for casual music fans and devotees alike.

Kings and queens

3:32pm Wednesday 4th May 2005

Various Artists - The Kings and Queens of Country (Sony/BMG) This is an unashamedly populist comp aimed squarely at the squares. No harm in that when the quality is this high. Think of a country classic by a country artist and odds on its on here. So Dolly Parton's Jolene nestles with Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire, Tammy Wynette stands by her man and Kenny Rogers reveals the Coward of the County in 40 tracks across two CDs.

Starry, Starry Nights

10:33am Thursday 12th August 2004

Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre has announced its star-studded autumn season featuring top names including Nicholas Lyndhurst, Tara Fitzgerald, and Britt Ekland.

California country

10:29am Thursday 12th August 2004

The Lights In This Town Are Too Many To Count (BMG)is the fourth album from Croydon-based band Grand Drive.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Live: The Vicious Cycle Tour

4:04pm Wednesday 21st July 2004

With the Kings of Leon, Kid Rock and Oz cousins Jet taking on the mantle of southern rock, it's about time the likes of the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd got their due respect.

The Kinks Village Green Preservation Society

4:03pm Wednesday 21st July 2004

There are certain 60s British pop albums which are fated to be anointed both classic and obscure. The Small Face's Ogden's Nut Gone Flake is one; The Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow is another. Both acclaimed upon release - and obliterated by rival era-defining cultural artefacts.

Reggae hitmakers

4:00pm Wednesday 21st July 2004

V/A Young, Gifted and Black 2 V/A Sucker Punch:Jamaican Boxing tributes The follow-up to the hugely successful Young, Gifted and Black 2 compilation takes its cue from the 70s to the present day. A wide ranging trawl of reggae hits reveals sparkling hits plus poppier cousins reggae-lite if you may. So you get the good: Jimmy Cliff, the bad: Boris Gardner, and with Shabba Ranks' Mr Loverman, the plain ugly. Still, fans of both reggae and pop will get some satisfaction from rediscovering treasures such as Errol Dinkley's OK Fred.