RATING: 10 out of 10. At least.
VERDICT: An absolutely blistering set proves that The Blonde are still as great as ever.

If you've never heard Concrete Blonde, you should turn off your computer now and get down to the closest record store. They are, quite simply, one of the greatest bands around, despite the fact that they've never really had the massive following they deserve. But however good they are on record, nothing beats seeing them live. Johnette Napolitano's voice is truly amazing, and guitarist Jim Mankey is probably the coolest guy on the planet.

After what feels like a very long break from touring, the band got back on the road a few months ago to promote their new album, Group Therapy. And by the time they hit The Palace on Saturday night, the live set had been honed into a tight, powerful, mesmerising 90 minutes.

In many ways this felt like a 'greatest hits' set, featuring virtually everything a fan could wish for, including Bloodletting, Everybody Knows (the best Leonard Cohen cover ever recorded), Caroline, Joey, and, of course, Tomorrow, Wendy (we cried). There were a couple of tracks from the new album, too, most notably Roxy, which looks like becoming a firm favourite of the crowd.

If you see Concrete Blonde playing in your neighbourhood, run -- don't walk -- to get tickets. You won't regret it.