STILL the Fibbers run of big name gigs continues. After Badly Drawn Boy, Gomez and Spiritualised, how else would you expect the former guitarist of one of Britain's biggest bands of the last few decades to celebrate his 35th birthday, but with a gig at the Stonebow music bar that seems to have temporarily become the centre of the musical universe?

Taking the stage for his sold-out show, ex-Blur man Graham Coxon is as you'd expect - wry, shy, funny and likeably un-rock star-like.

Indeed, when he takes off his trademark glasses after the second song he looks less like a rock star than anyone in the room. But he can't half play the guitar, snapping from solo strumming to frenzied feedback noise in the blink of an eye.

His former bandmates may now be exploring distinctly un-Blur musical directions, but perversely, much of Coxon's live set recaptures the spiky, pop punk sound of early Blur - especially the opening Escape Song, Spectacular, and latest single Freakin' Out, which provides a frenetic encore.

However, like his solo records, his live set is a mixed bag, Coxon and his band wander boldly through lo-fi pop, experimental noise and even blues and folk riffs - getting bogged down in an indulgent bluesy jam at one point.

He isn't the world's strongest vocalist, and the crowd's attention wanders towards the end.

But he redeems himself with a captivating acoustic Bitter Tears, before opening the throttle again for the encores.

And the crowd even sang him Happy Birthday.

Updated: 11:42 Saturday, March 13, 2004