THE last time I saw Lloyd Cole - in 1988, at the peak of his fame with the Commotions - he was greeted with screams from a packed Wembley Arena.

Last night's welcome, in the more homely surroundings of the Wedgewood Rooms, was a little gentler, but no less appreciative, and his acoustic reworkings of his songs were listened to with rapt attention.

Unlike many of his 1980s bedfellows, Lloyd hasn't faded into obscurity or indulged in dubious reunions. Now in his 40s, and a fully-fledged US citizen, husband and father, he is still writing and recording, and material from recent albums The Negatives and Music in a Foreign Language were among the highlights of the show.

But predictably, the old hits raised the biggest cheers. It was nice to be reacquainted with classics like Charlotte Street, Cut Me Down and Lost Weekend, and to see that they still pack a lyrical punch all these years later. After all, Lloyd made his name as king of the stinging put-downs (Why do you tell me all your secrets, when it's hard enough to love you knowing nothing?).

In the age of the ghastly pop idols, this is one idol we really should treasure.