This was the second time we had seen The Happy Cats, so we knew the sort of thing to expect. However, the venue couldn't have been more different - a small pub, with the band in the bar, just in front of the window, in a room which got steadily more crowded as the evening wore on. The landlord eventually persuaded them to start sooner rather than later, and they were off. (After the concert I asked Marty to let me know the names of the songs that were new to me, along with the original artistes, which makes this review much easier to write).

They started off with Pizzericco, by the Mavericks, a good lively one to get the proceedings going, then on to the wonderful Driftin' Through, with both Brian and Marty on the accordion, swiftly followed by All Fall Down. Then onto new stuff for me - and for them, as they said it was the first time they'd played it - Looking for The Heart of Saturday Night by Tom Waites. During this song the landlord brought out a patio table and umbrella to put in the middle of the bar as it was so crowded and there was nowhere for anyone to sit! Marty asked them if they felt like they were on holiday - it was certainly hot enough!

Next was a song by the SawDoctors, You Got Me On The Run, with Marty playing the tin whistle, then Brian moved onto the keyboard for Shania Twain's Still the One, and Marty did a sax solo in the middle. I couldn't have imagined anyone else singing this, but they do it beautifully! Back to accordion for Brian and the lemons(!) for Marty, and they went into Je Suis Desolé by Mark Knopfler, which is a real Cajun-sounding number. Marty then checked that we knew just how lucky we were (!) before going into Help. Walk Away Renée came next, with Brian back on the keyboard, and the first half was finished off with Fairytale of New York (The Pogues) - slightly surreal being wished Happy Christmas in June! This finished with a storming instrumental, with the flute being used very effectively - wonderful! They then went off to have 3 saucers of milk, so they said, but personally I don't believe them as I don't really think it mixes very well with beer, does it?

The second half started with a short instrumental, The Keel Row, with the audience encouraged to join in, going straight into Dirty Old Town. Marty threw in a couple of personalised lyrics, including "Happy Cats are prowlin' on the beat". He then proceeded to warm up his whistle by putting it down the front of his trousers - there's apparently nothing worse than a cold whistle!! He used it in another Mark Knopfler song next, Lilly of the West. I'm fast becoming a SawDoctors fan as a result of these concerts - the next one was Sixties Still, which everyone seemed to love, not just me. The sax made another appearance at the end of this song, too. Next followed a song which I'm beginning to really enjoy, Speed of Loneliness, by Nancy Griffiths.

Marty then inquired as to our singing voices, and Les started the introduction on the guitar, followed by Brian on the accordion, to Can't Help Falling In Love, and it seemed as if the whole pub was joining in even before Marty started singing! It was absolutely wonderful, with harmonies at the end - left Elvis' and Andy Williams' versions standing! Then came "a bit of daftness" - another one everyone knew and joined in with - Meet Me On The Corner. As Marty said at the end, "Vintage Lindisfarne - I love it!!" Don't we all!

Dance the Night Away, from the Mavericks came next, and I'm sure if there'd been any room we would all have been dancing by now. Another of my favourites next, Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison, and the last song was another Mavericks number, Bring Me Down.

They quickly came back for an encore and sang Willin', by Little Feat, and the real last song was, appropriately enough, The Last Time, by the Stones. They had to get back through their cat flaps, otherwise there'd be no fish in the morning for them. However, the audience weren't satisfied, and demanded more - the landlord came back - twice - telling us it was last orders and we had to go and spend some more money. He begged the band to do some more, and asked the audience to throw money on the stage as he was still twenty pounds short cos he'd been buying them food and drink all night and needed them to come back on stage! Les was protesting that they hadn't practised any others! - and it looks like he wasn't kidding as they came back and did a repeat of Je Suis Desolé which went down even better the second time.

As with the last concert, they all seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, as much as the audience if that's possible. I certainly intend to pester local landlords on Teesside to book them - I suggest you do the same wherever you live - and get up to The Barrels on the 20th July if at all possible to join the rest of the cyber crew!