Focus + Gothic Chicken, Thomas Tripp, Christchurch

AH FOCUS, seminal prog-rockers extraordinaire, instrumental wizards and bonkers Dutchmen. They're back in Britain with a sound as big as ever, filling the Thomas Tripp, a place that could well become an important small venue.

This band is tighter than a tight thing in Tight Town on tight day and the clarity of sound is extraordinary.

Eccentric keyboardist and flautist band leader Thijs van Leer may now look like Frank Carson gone to seed, but he still plays a mean Hammond. His yodelling and falsetto vocals may not be what they were, but his sheer quirkiness shines through and he's still very much in charge.

The favourites Sylvia, Hocus Pocus, Harem Scarem, Eruption and Black Beauty were all there and, of course, it gets a little self-indulgent and twiddly at times, but isn't that exactly what it's meant to be?

Gothic Chicken's all-too-brief set of covers was, despite a host of technical problems, impressive and justified the journey of a bus-load of supporters.

Stand-in drummer Chris Page coped admirably.