The nation mourns...

A little quiet again on Tuesday due to the scroungers, sorry students, being away and Liverpool were getting battered in Germany.

Lee Grounds Lee Grounds was first to take the Malarkey stage. Lee kicked of his set with a load of Queen Mum references. May as well start as we mean to go on, eh Lee? Lee’s material ranged from Formula One to Anne Frank to Roger Hargreaves painting the Cistine Chapel.

Lee has written loads of new material since the last time he played the Malarkey and the extra stage time is clearly helping his delivery. Lee’s combination of tall tales and observational humour made for a good start to the evening.

Danny Hurst After the break, Danny Hurst took to the Malarkey coffin. Camp lad Danny also kicked off his set with Queen Mother material. Seem to be developing a theme.

Danny’s material was fairly wide ranging and didn’t rely solely on the obvious camp jokes. His delivery was animated if slightly nervy. A solid debut.

Third up on Tuesday was Wythenshawe’s prodigal son, Nick Hagan. Nick’s been living in the big smoke with all the Man U fans but made a welcome return to Manchester for a gig at the Malarkey.

Nick Hagan Nick’s ugly-bashing routine was received well by tribe Malarkey. Anyone that slags off Anne Widdecombe is going to do alright at XS. Nick described old women’s overdone lipstick as looking like "they’d drunk two pints of Vimto out of a wok." Class.

Nick’s yarns and gags were a little inconsistent in places but for the most part they were bang on the money. Glad to have you back in Manchester Nick.

Electric Forecast Electric Forecast made their welcome return as main support in Fallowfield on Tuesday.

The lively duo are a visual treat. With Dan’s big ginger mop, and fantastic expressive delivery and Steve’s short arse, almost 'good cop' role, Electric are sure to mesmerize the most apathetic crowd. Not necessarily laugh out loud funny though.

Although their extended set did have some very high points, they seem to be struggling a little to fill the twenty-five minute slot. At fifteen minutes I suspect they would have torn the roof off the former railway station. Still a very entertaining support performance though.

(Having written all that, I saw them at the Clocktower two nights later and they did a much longer set and positively stormed it. Just shows you how wrong you can be.)

In the break Justin absolutely tore apart the tosser in the crowd who had been heckling all night. Shut that fucker up good style.

Paul B Edwards The headliner on Tuesday was Malarkey favourite and regular, Paul B. Edwards.

Rock ’n’ roll poet Paul’s amiable mishmash of jokes, songs, poetry and banter made him a popular crowd pleaser at the Malarkey. With comedic takes on Gary Glitter, Adam Ant and The Sex Pistols, Mr Edwards roused the crowd into applause after applause. Finishing on the fantastic "It takes two to tango but only one to masturbate" which is his best creation yet. Keep up the good work fella.

Heckle of the night has got to be "Why’s your guitar so small?" "Because it makes my cock look bigger - what's your excuse?"

Comic of the night has got to be Paul. Sure-fire winner every time.

Toby returned to Bar XS to a rousing chorus of "TOBY! TOBY!" and read the limerick competition that was predictably about the Queen Mum. I’ve got to include the winning limerick, penned by your Webmaster, in this review ‘cos it’s Neil at his sickest best:

The dirty old trout the Queen Mum
Once fisted Prince Charles up the bum,
But she got quite a scare
when she saw what was there,
It was a teaspoon of Price Harry's cum.

Nice one fella. See you next week.

Lee.