Perhaps it demonstrates how far The Ataris have fallen from their heyday, when this record was released, the iBar probably wasn't open, fast forward nearly six years and its playing host to an acoustic rendition of this classic pop-punk record.

The show itself is great, crowd surfing to an acoustic show doesn't happen very often, and the audience reaction serves as a testament to the strength of 'So Long Astoria's tracks half a decade after its release. The highlights are perhaps obvious, as 'In This Diary' and 'Boys of Summer' inspire the largest singalongs, with pint glasses held aloft. Nostalgia is clearly the formula for the evening, and Kris Roe's set is a resounding success.

The contemporary setting though, serves as a harsh reminder that Kris Roe's musical career has been overshadowed by his past work. The Ataris are currently in the process of recording a new album, yet it seems likely that after its release they will yet again revert to the back catalogue to draw a crowd.

Will this song live on forever? No, but for this one tour, were all quite happy living in 2003.

Chris Powers