ONE of the great eccentrics of our age, John Otway careers happily through a life that is an object lesson in controlled chaos.

The self-styled great rock 'n' roll failure may be limited in musical talent but his engaging personality and exuberant approach wins him fans galore.

Way back in 1977 his first single Cor Baby That’s Really Free became a hit simply because it was fun and no one had ever heard or indeed seen anything like it before.

It even won him a five album deal after he was mistakenly identified as a punk rock genius.

This show found Otway throwing himself around the stage, slashing at his guitar, kicking daft noises out of a fuzz box, hurling himself off a step ladder and nutting the microphone.

He made much fun of his new roadie, a long suffering fellow called Deadly, played his uniquely analytical version of The House of the Rising Sun, recited Bowie’s Space Oddity in a broad Cumbrian accent and showed what the theremin was made for with an inspired, if slightly unhinged, reading of The Osmond’s Crazy Horses. What can you say? "Cor baby, that was really weird" might just be appropriate.