Toronto-Born Murray is a Los Angeles resident these days. Any one not knowing this before hearing his one-man ska set could have worked that out for themselves: his trademark low-fi acoustic beach sound was there, as the Californians say, from the get go.

The opening Rock Steady touched a nerve and immediately fetched any stragglers from the bar to front of stage in seconds flat. Requests were then taken from the floor and, before you knew it, The Higher The Monkey Climb and One Everything were despatched in, it has to be said, a Jack Johnson style; the jury is still out as to who came first.

More crowd pleasers, many from the excellent 4-Trackaganza album, followed, before he finally bowed out with Strong Physical Urge and I Want To Go Home.

A return gig is already promised next year when he'll return with his band, The Chris Murray Combo.

JOHN MEDD