Sister Nancy @ The Bongo Club

If Beck made two turntables and a microphone sound like a thrilling proposition, Sister Nancy proves the reality is far from electrifying. Tonight, the dancehall superstar swaggers on stage with an aloofness befitting reggae royalty and the Bongo Club's devout crowd duly indulges her self-important masquerading. Joined by energetic cohort Sister Carol, the Jamaica-born diva rattles through an ad-libbed set of incoherent ramblings and token shout-outs without a hint of emotion. Talent undoubtedly lurks behind the bare-faced bravado – as proven on the voluptuous roots reprise of The Boy Is Mine – but her ramshackle freestyling over stomach-cramping dub records is little more than glorified reggae karaoke. As she's outfoxed by Carol's surging MCing on the bombastic Bam Bam, Nancy's bellows of "this is original" smack of desperation in an increasingly stagnant atmosphere. Mr Hanson may have eulogised two decks and one mic, but Sister Nancy was definitely not 'Where It's At'. [Billy Hamilton]