After Bowfinger were Lowfinger, and they just don't get any better - I'm sorry but I just don't get what they are about. My verdict? Bowfinger - 1 : Lowfinger - Nil. Although the singer from Lowfinger did make a remark that the Dum Dums should come on as "Dohfinger" and complete the set!!! Which made Jane and I chuckle.

The crew seemed to be setting up loads of equipment for the Dum Dums tonight, flashy lights around Stu's drumkit and loads of smoke machines. After what seemed like hours they were onstage, Stu on his "Rock" t-shirt (again!), Josh in his "Atari's" t-shirt, the obligatory backwards baseball cap, and the largest pair of jeans I have ever seen, causing him to constantly pull them up!! Steve was wearing a lovely satin-type shirt which ended up a little the worse for wear, and to quote Josh "Ladies, Steve is drenched in sweat" - and he was - by the end of the gig it looked like he'd been in the shower!! This prompted Steve to unbutton his shirt down to the waist a la Tom Jones - causing a large proportion of the female audience to begin a chant of "Off! Off! Off!", sadly, on this occasion, he didn't oblige! Maybe had something to do with the fact that Josh quoted "Naaah girls, he's got a hairy back!!".

The crowd were really going for it tonight, and the band seemed to be particularly enjoying this gig, they looked relaxed and comfortable with how things were going. Jane and I, however, were not quite so comfortable, after getting squashed to within an inch of our lives in the barrier, and then getting kicked in the head by constant crowdsurfers, it was such a relief to hear Josh say "please be careful of the girls in front when you crowdsurf" - crowdsurfing is one of my pet hates in any case so I really didn't mind when the security guards appeared to be dropping the crowdsurfers on their heads!!

One of the highlights for me this evening was hearing "All Hooked Up On You", it's a fantastic song and sounded even better live, the setlist this evening omitted "Hole In Your Heart" and "Lonely Hearts Company" which I was a tiny bit disappointed about but the new single "Army of Two" sounded massive in the Roadmender hall and I am convinced it's gonna do big things. "Fresh Prince" was included again and Josh told us all we were the best audience on the whole tour.

The encore began with "Running Away", which Josh said they may not play live again, then "Knock Me Off My Feet" and finally "Everything" which completely raised the roof, the crowd were going mental and Josh, Stu and Steve were loving every minute of it, with huge grins on their faces - never before have I experienced such sheer enjoyment, there wasn't a single person in the hall who wasn't going mad for this band, and they so deserve it. Josh finished off with his immortal line " Don't join the system, join the circus" and they left the stage to the biggest cheer the Roadmender has seen in a very, very long time.

Pure, unadulterated class, sheer, unsurpassed professionalism.

By Lindsey Taylor-Fullman.