My word. My mustachioed, music-loving, fully sold-out word. Sold-out is possibly the wrong term to use, considering that both the Portobello Acoustic Sessions and its subsidiary, The Platform, are both completely free, but when you have as many people as we had crammed into such an intimate area, much like Paris Hilton on a successful night out, it counts, essentially, as being sold-out.

Moray McLaren's music surpasses the brilliant, shoots past fantastic and exceptional and, undaunted by the police cars that begin to chase him from the lay-by near incredible, continues racing towards supercalifragilisticexpialidoc ious, that metropolis of Dick Van Dyke-ian proportions.

From the graceful Step Inside to the rocking Dark Before The Dawn, Moray's music hits the spots that few can reach. His sweeping guitar and heavenly voice lead the supporting double bass, violin and drums (using a cardboard box as a kick) with such quality that you really aren't surprised when total uproar occurs at the denial of an encore.

Supporting Moray were what we at PAS once knew as Black Country Music, now playing under the name of Police Dog Hogan. The line-up's changed a little since we last had these geezers around, too, the five-piece reduced to only a trio for the night. It was, though, still as fantastically fun as always, the country, blues and bluegrass played with that kind of energy that you only get when a musician is playing what he loves to play. You can't fail to enjoy Police Dog Hogan, and you can't fail to appreciate the exceptional talent of Moray McLaren. Everyone there - and there were a lot of ones - will agree.

Dave Knight

The Portobello Acoustic Sessions are held every Thursday night from 7:30 at The Metropolitan bar, Westbourne Park. Keep an eye out for additional jollities on Wednesday nights.