Ray LaMontagne says enough is enough!!

Ray LaMontagne is not, as some of you will already know, the most demonstrative of performers. However at Dingwalls in London on Monday he justifiably threw his toys out of the pram but perhaps went a little too far.

The support act, Leona Ness, came on at about 8. Ray came out into the audience to watch her. She was playing quiet, delicate songs and of course there was chatter from the back and at the bar etc. She had a moan about the chat and when she finished there were cheers and general appriciation.

Ray then walked up on stage and said something along the lines of "sounds like you are all having a good night, infact a good chatty night. I thought we were all here to listen to music but it would appear you are just out for a chat and a drink so I'm gonna let you get on with it. This is the end of the show goodnight" and he storms off.

Everyone is a bit stunned . They start taking the equipment down. After about 20 mins with no annoucement people went to the Box Office to see how people get refunds. They explain what's happened to a woman who turns out to be the promotor who didn't know what was going on. She too storms off. The door people are turning people away saying the gig is cancelled and they will make a definite annoucement on whats going on to the people inside.

Ray is apparently in the Holiday Inn and they are on the phone talking to him. It gets to about 9:30, people are leaving and there are tales of people who paid £80 for a ticket from touts and getting in and hearing he ain't gonna play!

Then a bouncer gets up and says he WILL be on in 15 mins. Cue mad rush by everyone to get the gear set back up. Ray comes on at 9:45 to cheers and a few boo's. People start shouting apologise and he shakes his head and then plays but doesn't speak for the next hour. Then he seems to be happy and starts joking with the audience etc and finally at the end he THANKS everyone for being a great audience.

A surreal night with the most timid man in rock!