Singer /songwriter Matt Hill, who goes by the moniker of Quiet Loner, is the only man I know who can make Buddy Holly sound psychopathic. His take on ‘It Doesn’t Matter Anymore’ gives a malevolent undercurrent to what was previously a simple pop song. With his acoustic guitar, a large helping of self-deprecation and pithy, sardonic lyrics about fallen angels, serial killers and talking to Johnny Cash on the phone, Hill is one of the UK’s finest alt-country balladeers, recalling Costello in his prime.

Tonight’s headline act is Chris Mills, a cult act on the Americana circuit, but relatively unknown in the UK. Over the last few years he’s branched out into power-pop, experimented with orchestral arrangements, and, with this year’s Living In The Aftermath, has made his most accessible record to date. It’s a brassy rock n’ roll that tackles both politics and doomed romance, reminiscent of Springsteen, only with better tunes and, err, references to vampires and aliens. Mills dips into his back catalogue for a rendition of the bleak country ballad ‘Crooked Vein’, but then follows it up with his dumbest tune ever – ‘You Are My Favourite Song’, in which he likens a lover to a contemporary pop hit.

From the sublime to the ridiculous.

Sean Hannam