Something that popped in my head as we were waiting for Alabama 3 to start, was offering the gig as a product. 

Imagine recording the concert live onto MP3, straight from the mixing desk.  Then you could copy the MP3 onto cheap, low storage USB memory keys for selling to people as they leave the venue. 

USB keys are pretty cheap these days and if you add on a pound or two for making a profit, you’ve got a nice little money making scheme, and a cheap way of promoting your band.

Or am I being daft?

Last night Alabama 3 played the Shepherds Bush Empire, and having a a pair of tickets, my brother an I went to see them…

I’m a bit of a fan.

If you’ve never heard of them, Alabama 3 are a mix of dance with country and western, add in an ironic look at revivalist preachers and socialist thought, and you are part way there.

They also work closely with MOJO, and the band was giving their fee for the night to that organisation.  Mojo are trying to raise £500,000 to create a retreat for folk who have been released from lengthy prison stays after being found innocent, so that they can be rehabilitated back into society – something that the government doesn’t provide.

The ‘Book of Love’ started off the night by DJing, and he had to DJ quite a bit as the support act “Shane McGowan and his Popes” couldn’t play as Shane was drunk in a ditch delayed at Dublin airport.  The thing that got my brother and I singing was that he played  ‘Rodeohead’.  The book of Love also looked fairly cute in granny glasses, not bad for the “fourth most tattooed man in England”.

Opening track was ‘Power in the Blood’, which go the crowd jumping, a crowd that had a fair number of cowboy hats – as an aside, cowboy hats on women are cool, on men…stupid.

All the favourites were played, the atmosphere was excellent, and it was well worth the price of admission.  They played some of the stuff from their new album, and I’ve got to say, it sounds pretty good.

You can see their latest video streamed here.  There are also downloadable tracks on their site.  If you want their best album, this is it.  It should be on every CD rack.