A half-empty Zodiac is rarely an attractive prospect. A strange chill tends to fill the room, and the inevitable empty space in front of the stage doesn't exactly invite outbreaks of joyful dancing.

Against the odds, main support act The Epstein manage to liven up the crowd with their mariachi trumpets and gentle country and western stylings, urging us to "dance the night away" - and many do just that. Transporting us to Mexico City (via Nashville) can't be easy when it's a foggy South Midlands Saturday night, but The Epstein neatly succeed.

Being a member of Goldrush must be frustrating. It seems that, for this bunch of Oxford 20-somethings, commercial success seems to be, for some reason, just out of reach. Despite hosting an annual local festival (the Truck bash in Steventon), organising the regular Deliverance club night, all-the-while attempting to develop their melodic country-pop, the band were recently dropped by Virgin. The last two years have seen bands of a similar ilk such as The Thrills and Thirteen Senses gatecrash the charts without trying too hard, which must be pretty galling for Robin Bennett and co.

Not that it would seem so tonight - this is a celebration of independence and a genuine love for making music. They reach the same epic peaks as Snow Patrol at regular points throughout, while the fiddles and mandolins are brought out for a fabulous 'Wide Open Sky', producing something akin to a pretty cousin of early-90's REM.

The two highest points come towards the end of the set, as they truly begin to hit their stride. A cover of Gram Parsons' '100 Years From Now' sparkles, perfectly evoking the innocence of the original, while 'There's A World' stands out as novel and inventive.

Tonight's strokes of beauty ultimately prove one thing - even though it may take Goldrush a while longer to break through to the big-time, if they can keep combining their originality with timeless influences in this way, it'll surely happen one day.

Rob Barker, 26th March 2005