Black Francis @ The Garage, 10 Feb

Feigning confusion at the Scottish-accented requests for Where Is My Mind?, and donned in black shades throughout, Mr. Frank Black Francis is on a mission tonight. Although tempered with some as-yet unreleased material and the odd, obscure, fan-pleasing favourite, the former Pixies helmsman is here to play last years Bluefinger album in its entirety. Unsurprisingly then, the highlights mirror the album itself, most notably Threshold Apprehension, revealing itself in the live arena to be one of Black's finest songs in years. Its buoyant dynamics and Black's visceral yelping help alleviate potential disappointment at the evening's Pixies embargo. Unfortunately, Bluefinger isn't consistent enough to warrant such a rigid spotlight and Black's steely determination not to veer off course means the lulls almost equal the genuinely great moments. A merely satisfactory performance then, given extra credence, perhaps, due to Black's impressive legacy, even if it's one he doesn't seem entirely comfortable with himself. [Darren Carle]