Ocean Colour Scene serve up a treat

It could have been something from seventies sitcom Are You Being Served?

The bizarre setting for an exclusive gig from Birmingham's favourite sons took place in the unlikely surroundings of the men's clothing department in Selfridges.

The only thing missing, it appeared, was young Mr Grace and Mr Humphries.

The event was to mark the opening of the new O2 Academy in Birmingham, which has moved to the old Dome venue on the Bristol Road in Birmingham

It opens officially tonight with a gig from Editors, before OCS take the stage on Sunday.

Set up on a small stage in the middle of the shirts and ties section the fans were last night within touching distance of their heroes and were treated to a 50-minute acoustic set.

During that time OCS wowed their audience with a mixture of old and new, starting and finishing with numbers from their landmark album, Moseley Shoals.

It wasn't always perfect, but frontman Simon Fowler's charisma and banter made up for the occasional duff notes.

A bizarre venue indeed, but as young Mr Grace might have said, they all did terribly well.