Recorded live at the Carling Academy Islington in London, England on May 2, 2005.

The usual declaration of bias; I was at this gig, the only UK date on Son Volt's first tour since 1999. The lineup may have changed (Farrar is in fact the only constant between the two bands) but the performance was nothing less than exceptional. It's hard to pick highlights, but the encores were particularly strong and the cover of Cortez was simply jaw-dropping.

Almost the entirity of the forthcoming Okemah And The Melody Of Riot was previewed, and if this is anything to go by it's going to be a great record; just don't expect a gentle acoustic album!

As for the boot itself, it's a relatively clear minidisc recording made from front centre and obtained directly from the original taper. There may be better tapes from other Son Volt '05 gigs, but the performance more than makes up for it and I've heard far worse.

There are no fewer than four reviews available over at Americana UK which make for interesting reading.