BUZZCOCKS are perhaps the most commercially acceptable band to emerge out of the punk generation.

Yet to most younger people they are perhaps best known for giving their name to the long-running BBC panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks - something that is still known to rankle with the band.

I am always slightly sceptical of hearing older bands live for fear that they are merely just a shadow of their former selves, especially when the middle-aged one-time punks in question used to stand as a voice for the disaffected youth.

Sadly I didn’t actually get to hear much of them at the City Hall on Friday night because of the dreadful sound quality that was produced, which left many people heading for the exits early.

For the first three songs it appeared that lead singer Pete Shelley didn’t have his microphone switched on and for most of the rest of the set it appeared that the sterile sound of the bass drowned everything else out.

Either the band didn’t bother to show up for a sound check or the sound crew were woefully inept.

It didn’t take long to retreat to the sanctuary of the bar, where a number of other people also expressed their outrage at the set – yet it was probably the best place to hear the music.

However, I eventually forced myself back in and thankfully by the time they started playing their most defining song Ever Fallen In Love the sound had improved slightly and I could at least hear the words. But even so, I can’t hide my disappointment and frankly I feel that everybody who bought a ticket deserves a refund.

Alex Rennie