It was a pleasure to be back at The Prince Albert and to be able to hear each other - except when the most jarring mobile phone ring tone in Christendom was in evidence.

We heard the premier of Fred's cricketer-inspired song 'Ambient Noise', sung to the tune of 'Three Nights and a Sunday Double Time'. I'm looking forward to the first ring-tone-inspired song. I guess that's a challenge.

Most people didn't know that Karen can play the guitar - the last time we saw this at MBAC was at The Pegasus many years ago. However, Gerry had given her a nylon-stringed guitar before leaving for Australia and she felt a duty to give it an outing, so she played and sang Tecumseh Valley, which is one of the few songs on Nanci Griffith's Other Voices, Other Rooms album that Steve doesn't sing. Well done Karen.

Various songs from the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack pop up occasionally on a Wednesday (and almost all Bottom Line gigs). We heard a different one tonight - Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby - from the new pairing of Rosie and Alison. Excellent stuff after two rehearsals, one in our front room, the other in the PA car park.

We also saw the re-formed non-musical pairing of Steve and Jennifer. Steve sang his own song Islands with no little feeling. We wish them the best of luck.

Bob Newell has one of the loudest singing voices I've heard, and even he was deterred by the noise last week. It was nice for him to join us again this week and play another couple of songs from his large repertoire.

Richard has recently sung a song that's not really about a Ball of Yarn. This evening he sang one that's not really about a Black Hare. Dick followed the trend with a song that's not really about milling. It was a shame that Dave Sanderson wasn't there to sing the Kipper Family song that's not really about cricket.

Also present, and mostly correct, were Dick, Dave and Norma, Stuart and Delia, Simon, David, John and me.

We'll be at the Dashwood Arms next week. The first four weeks of June are now confirmed as BV, D&B, DA, PA. I'm not sure about the 5th Wednesday yet. More news on venues when I have it.