TRIBUTE bands can be good, and The ELO Experience is a case in point.

Despite a less than full auditorium, the band delighted the audience in the Albert Halls with some excellent renditions of the hits of The Electric Light Orchestra.

The five-piece band, bolstered by a pair of cellists, brought the music to life in a two-hour show that was testament to their musicianship and passion for the music of Jeff Lynne.

Beginning the show with All Over The World, we were treated to the highlights of a wonderful career as hit after hit was preformed with belief and skill.

Even going back to Roll Over Beethoven and Showdown, they were almost note-perfect throughout.

A new song in the set, Standing In The Rain, from ELO’s hit album Out Of The Blue was a highlight of the show and it is an ambition of the band to perform the whole of that double album live.

An unusual inclusion was a version of Xanadu. This was ELO’s only chart topper and was sung with Olivia Newton-John.

However, Jeff Lynne had recorded a version of the song which only saw the light of day in a retrospective box-set in 2000, and it was this version that the band performed – and performed it well.

Wild West Hero proved to be an emotional song and Living Thing was only marred by the lack of proper echo.

The second half of the show fairly rocked, with singer Andy Louis giving his all to hits like Don’t Bring Me Down and Rock and Roll Is King.

After that, there was only one song they could finish with and Mr Blue Sky was the perfect encore.

This was the band’s third visit to Bolton, let’s hope it won’t be their last – and let’s have a few more ELO fans there next time.