The "last ever" Cud concert began with an introduction from Johnny Farrell.

Septuagenarian Johnny, to those who don't know, was the voice on the Leeds band's first album When In Rome Kill Me.

So the scene was set.

And what a set it proved to be as one of the city's legendary indie groups bid farewell to at least 800 fans crammed into Rios in The Grand Arcade.

Lead singer Carl Puttnam and the boys opened with Only a Prawn in Whitby, a track from that first trail-blazing album.

What many in the audience didn't know was that this goodbye concert was going to be more of a marathon run, not a sprint, through Cud's extensive back-catalogue.

The night was divided into quarters with the finale coming a full three hours later.

Mercifully, after an initial shot of seven stonkers from When in Rome... including the appropriate Push & Shove, Carl, William Potter (bass), Stephen Goodwin (drums) and new guitarist Felix Frey gave the predominantly thirty and forty-something audience a vital rest.

One sweating 37-year-old from Bramley I met gasping at the bar said he didn't think he'd make it past the first session.

The second segment began and the seething mass at the front was given a breather as Carl and guest keyboardist Mickey Dale (of Embrace fame) duetted on the haunting Once Again.

Relief was short-lived as the four-piece then tore into some lung-bursting favourites, enthusiastically supported by ex-Bridewell Taxis' guitarist Alaric Neville (on Rich & Strange), Mickey & Alaric (on Not Exactly D.L.E.R.C.) and bongo supremo Tris Williams joining Mickey on the beguiling Magic.

Felix made the guitar solo penned by original axesmith Mike Dunphy on Love in a Hollow Tree his own.

A personal highlight was Cud's rendition of My Sweet Lord which bordered on being a religious experience.

Glaring white stage lights fringed Carl's silhouette giving him an almost Christ-like appearance, the gospel feel completed with backing vocals from support act Beamish and saxophone by Dave Lazonby.

With the moshpit now single-handely heating the rest of the building with their exertions, it was time for the burn.

Part three with Van Van Van, Wobbly Jelly and Hey Boots teed up the triumphant finale with a rave-flavoured Purple Love Balloon.

The only question we were left asking was "why stop now?"

Charles Heslett