I spent my paper round savings on a NAD3020 amp from Richer Sounds and bought Tubular Bells and then Oxygene.

Then I used a Boots voucher to buy A New World Record and learned every word through my Wharfedale Dentons.

Then I got oh-so-cool, time passed and like for many of us, music denial set in.

I never talked about ELO and nobody else did either. Ever.

But all the while, I knew it was great, clever, funny music.

And last night at the ELO Experience at St Georges Hall, Bradford, I really hoped it would be great - a touchstone to a lovely past.

Half full at £20 a ticket. I walked out after three minutes.

The feet itched to go at the limp opening ‘space ship’ effects.

And the functional arrival of the lead goon in a cheap ‘Lynne’ poodle wig confirmed the need to flee.

The workmanlike approach was instantly evident and just as that brief genre was shaken from the shoe back then, so it was last night.

The whole tribute schtick is a testing oddity - do we really want our true and honest youth experiences to be sold so cheaply?

Chris Tate