THE tension mounted to fever pitch as Warrington's good souls crammed into a jam-packed Parr Hall on Friday night to await the arrival of Starsailor, back on their home turf for a special one-off gig for charity.

I wondered if the new material being premiered that night would be more of the same- solid ballads with tuneful melodies but nothing to really get the blood pumping. My assumptions were quashed the moment vocalist James Walsh strapped on his electric guitar and belted out the gig's opener - a stomping new tune that was received by the crowd like it was an old favourite.

It served as a tantalising taster to what the band have been up to since they hooked up with legendary producer Phil Spector.

The rest of the new material featured was in the same upbeat vein and shot a vital injection of energy into the set, absent from the previous occasions I've watched the band.

Familiar numbers like Poor

Misguided Fool Love Is Here Alcoholic Lullaby and Fever were superbly played and Walsh indulged in a series of impromptu acoustic covers - I Am The Resurrection, The One I Love and Where The Streets Have No Name, much to the delight of the audience.

The encore was absolute genius. Bolton's finest funnyman Peter Kay bounded on stage to a deafening roar and let the lager-fuelled audience 'ave it' with a brilliant 20 minute set.

Starsailor returned and Kay stuck around till the end to lend the band his tambourine playing skills on Small Faces cover All Or Nothing and the anthemic Good Souls.

Fantastic entertainment and all for a good cause.

CHRISTIAN EWEN