Bill Bailey, BIC, Bournemouth

THE last time Bailey was in town he played to a packed Pavilion... and brought the house down.

Last night he was in the much bigger BIC Windsor Hall, again full to bursting, with an all-singing, all-dancing, state-of-the-art, multi-media show... with bells on.

So - even on a massive stage, and with all that technology to call on - was he as funny as before? You bet.

For once we could enjoy a night of comedy without any profanities or tired toilet, sex and drug gags (are you listening Skinner, Brand, Evans and others of your ilk?).

If you've only seen Bailey in wry form on Buzzcocks or Black Books before, you're in for a treat when you see him live. His mind works in wondrous ways and wanders off at decidedly odd tangents, but even the soberest punter can tap into it.

He likens David Beckham joining LA Galaxy to Einstein being in a pub quiz team... or Hitler turning up at a Tiverton BNP meeting.

He augments his verbal West Country whimsies with gurning, musical interludes and decidedly odd films. And, to top it all, he travels among the audience on a motorised trouser-press.

Bailey is an intelligent man with a lively wit, moral conscience and old-fashioned work ethic... and this Tinselworm show is an undiluted triumph.