What? Well, I’m not sure myself, but it’s a tradition. Every New Year’s Eve, Jools Holland presents what amounts to an extended version of his Later live music show, marking the transition from one year to the next. Like “Later”, it’s an eclectic mix, with some acts I love, some I can get along with and usually a few that I really don’t like….
The 2004/5 show (which I’m now watching on my new DVD/HDD recorder, which is why I’m getting round to posting this now) was a fine example.
Franz Ferdinand were on[1], plus a few longer established acts including Eric Clapton doing a Robert Johnson song or two and Ian Hunter, formerly of Mott the Hoople, who happily played “Roll Away the Stone”, “All the Young Dudes” and “All the way from Memphis”.
I was less impressed with Mavis Staples doing some over-stylised versions of a few songs, but I never did like that kind of thing…..
On the other hand, I did enjoy The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain performing the Nirvana classic Smells Like Teen Spirit, and I swear I’m not making that up! Totally bonkers….
[1] Regular readers[2] will recall that it was on “Later” that they first came to my attention
[2] 
