TVC14

E4's Album Chart Show is a mysterious beast which has already seen itself shifted around the schedule, now following Popworld (which fits in the sense that both are programs with music even if they share little else in common). It may take its name from it but the album chart is nearly a week old by the time the program goes out on Saturday and gets barely a cursory glance within. Plus acts actually appearing are related but only on the basis that they could or did release an album at such point in time.
Although I might have guessed, I didn't know all of this a couple of weeks ago when I went to the filming of the first one. In fact, lured by its being free and nearby, I didn't even know who has playing, so although I can think of better things to do than repeatedly cheer in loud, fake bursts it turned out to be far from a disappointment, ¾ acts being enjoyable.

• The Rifles played a few almost indistinguishable and instantly forgettable songs and left me thinking that everyone in the country who wants to be in a shoddy Libertines-alike band must not only be in one but be signed by now.
• Delays played Long Time Coming, current single Valentine and forthcoming single Hideaway and were more impressive, not that that was hard. Greg Gilbert sounds ferocious live, at the expense of some of the more delicate parts of their songs but suiting the synth pulse of Valentine very well. Incidentally, it's kind of fascinating how they've been adopted by the pop fans of Stylus, Popjustice, Into The Groove et al just as their indie press has largely dried up.
• Editors create so good a replication of their sound and so little else that it's difficult to know what to still say about them, apart from that as impressive as All Sparks is it's surely about time that they stopped releasing singles, left 'The Back Room' well alone and got on with recording their next album.
• Last were Sugababes, a move which despite frequent assurances that this would be '100% live, no karaoke!' resulted in about half those present going home early. More fool them as despite a disappointing lack of past hits (due to subsequent lineup changes?) Red Dress' strut was a fine way to end the evening. And they even smiled.