(04 May 2003) The debut DVD from All About Eve is entitled Cinemasonic - Filmed Live and Electric May 2002 (All About Eve (UK) AAEDVD1, 2003). The DVD includes: "Let me go home," "The Dreamer," "Flowers in our hair," "In the Clouds,""Somebody Said," "Blue Sonic Boy," "Daisychains," "I Don’t Know," "Phased," "Ctrl-Alt-Delete,""Sodium," "Wishing the Hours Away," "Make it Bleed" and "Outshine the Sun." Encores are"Every Angel," "Life on Mars," Our Summer" and "Touched by Jesus."

DVD Review. Though the venue is un-credited on the DVD, this 100-minute concert was filmed at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire in May 2002. Sound throughout is excellent, though the cinematography isquite limited – obviously shot with just two cameras from the balcony.A year ago, the band was sporting a new-found indie trendiness, with backup guitarist Rik Carter’s ski hat and new guitarist Finn Toni Haimi’s basketball shirt typical, while Julianne Regan was dressed in angelic white.

The set begins impressively, in up-tempo fashion with two "classics" in the first four songs "Flowers in our hair" and "In the Clouds." Long-time bassist Andy Cousin chats briefly between songs, with occasional comments from Julianne. "Somebody Said" slows things down – almost a traditional ballad, this, while a song from Julianne’s excellent "Mice" project, "Blue Sonic Boy" is also welcome.

The dreamy "Daisychains" is followed by the excellent, eastern-tinged "I don’t know." Phased, from the controversial album Ultraviolet is next, with its notorious wall of sound, followed by several decentnewer songs, with the rousing "Make it Bleed" and throbbing epic "Outshine the Sun" bringing the set to a rousing conclusion.

The finest moments of the set are saved for the encores, however, with "Every Angel," "Our Summer" and especially the wonderful "Touched by Jesus" all played with skill and enthusiasm, and even a cover of Bowie’s "Life on Mars" thrown in.Fifteen minutes of slightly impersonal behind the scenes footage and a picture gallery are also included. Overall, a slight lull in the second half of the main concert notwithstanding, this is an excellent live set, and though the camerawork is limited, this helps to give a good approximation of actually being there.

Concert Review. Live at The Limelight Club, Crewe – 20th April 2003, theyperformed: "Aquamania," "Melting," "Flowers in Our Hair," "I Don’t Know," "Daisychains," "Somebody Said," "Nobody’s Perfect," "Let me go home," "Blindfolded Visionary," "Phases," "Sodium," "Sugartown" and "Every Angel." Encores were: "Touched By Jesus," "Our Summer" and "Outshine the Sun."

Fast-forward to April 2003, with the band on tour again. The new album remains unfinished, but the band is showcasing further new material from it (slightly less impressive than in 2002). There are further changes – second guitarist and keyboard player Rik Carter has now departed, leaving Toni Haimi to handle things on his own, which he does admirably. Enter, also, new drummer Robin Guy – quite a find, as he brings plenty of personality to his role, playing with a sort of Keith Moon-style manic energy.

The band seem to have further embraced their gothic side dressed all in black with fairy lights all over the stage, and are a little hung over - a late Saturday night. However, this makes for a more relaxed occasion, with plenty of onstage banter between Julianne and Andy, with Toni even chipping in, and the crowd respond to this in enthusiastic fashion. Julianne is in good voice, despite the late night previously.

The slightly shorter set still gives many pleasures, with the backbone of the set remaining the older songs played a year previously, which still largely embrace the songs from "Touched by Jesus" and "Ultraviolet." "I don’t know" with its eastern rhythms still impresses, as does the brooding "Sodium."

A slight worry is that the newest songs played here for the first time seem less interesting than those presented a year ago, but overall the set remains the welcome work of a band very much back as a live, electric outfit, after years touring as an acoustic band. I look forward to the new album – when it arrives!--Stephen Lambe