The entertainment journalist from The Times is one step ahead of us in more ways than one. Not only was he in front of us in the guest queue outside Brixton Academy, he also knew that Tenacious D was tonight's surprise act for this years XFM Winter Wonderland. The fantastic Christmas concert backed by London's most loved commercial radio stations listened by thousands of music loving fans, including kids. Yes, that's right even the tender age group listen to XFM, enter their competitions and on tonight's occasion - Win!

Over the past couple of months XFM have given a new band the chance to open their Winter Wonderland in London and 'The Attic' were the lucky bunch captivating and tugging the sentimental heart strings of the voters with their 12 year old voices and they weren't bad, in fact we salute these lads and wish them all the best with their future. They weren't the only underage guys tonight in the Academy as XFM gave us an humorous film looking backstage at the XFM live concerts throughout 2006 with children pretending to be staff. Of course this is ridiculous and we are all aware that the only radio station to employ kids for live events is Virgin - Well, surely adults can't be behind their shambolic live events, can they?

After The Attic it was time for the adults to entertain us and the night continued with 'Captain' who despite making one fairly decent single still haven't cracked the chartworld. The lads embarked on a small UK tour earlier this year and need at least one more hit to gain a fanbase other than their nerdy friends on MySpace. The next unfamiliar act, Just Jack, had good reason to remain commercially unknown as he has just released his debut single, 'Writer's Block'. Which is a very apt title seeing as Jack probably suffered from it when he was recording it. Just Jack aims to be a contender for one of 'the' bands to watch in 2007. Somehow, judging on his offering tonight we feel that he will be lucky to last until February!

At last it was time to hear from bands we know and the ones who made tonight a massive sellout. Just creeping into the category was Boy Kill Boy. They are still seeking that missing link which will push them up the bill, but they we are sure they have a monster hit just waiting to be set free. Talking of 'Monsters' there's a huge clue to the next band. Forget the music magazines top singles of 2006 lists The Automatic win that glory crown and tonight proved us journalists wrong that they certainly aren't one hit little devils.

The Feeling we have watching, um The Feeling is a sense of happiness and joy, call us girlie, call us soft - heck call us bloody gay like the lead singer, we adore this band. Each track is a single which should be downloaded straight to your iPods and they stay in your head for ages. Which to be honest can be ruddy irritating, right now 'I Love It When You Call' is on 'Repeat' in our stereo minds. All together now, 'I love it when you call, I Love It when you call, but you never.....' Hang on, The Kooks are on stage now.

The Kooks, another group who 'I love it when you call, I love it when...AAAAHHHHH. That fucking Feeling song won't disappear from our heads. Give us a sec.

(Writer takes a short break from the PC and carries on writing his Christmas Card list to everybody in the music industry to ensure some decent gigs in 2007!)

Right, let's try again..

The Kooks have had quite an awarding year and the Ticket Touts outside Brixton Tube were even selling 'Kook Tickets' despite the other seven acts playing on tonight's bill. We know they are great live, heck we have witnessed that all Summer standing in festival fields up and down the land. But tonight we were a tad disappointed, trouble is we have no logical explanation. Could it be the atmosphere? Their place in the billing? Or could it just be us who didn't explode with sheer excitement along with the rest of the audience? Who cares? Let's move on before we break the question mark key on our keyboard..

The Times journalist was probably smugly smiling when news reached the academy that Richard Bacon was about to introduce a 'Surprise band' .
Having caught the Tenacious D movie at a press screening back in October we were familiar with Jack Black's hilarious brief appearance. With just three numbers it was all over too soon, but extremely enjoyable leaving smiles on the audience faces. Smug and otherwise!

It seems that everyone nowadays needs an excuse for a Hall Of Fame. Even the forgotten Smash Hits Awards of yesteryear tried to start one and now XFM are having theirs. Asking their listeners to recommend bands worthily of such a status it was The Clash who managed to walk away with the title and Mick Jones accepted the award from Lauren Laverne. Of course Jo Strummer was given a mention - which was pretty pointless because he was dead!

ABLE2UK, 2004, XFM Winter Wonderland Review on Kasabain,

'If we were marking their homework our red biro would scribe 'Good Work, Bit Of Room For Improvement.'

Two years later Kasabain have indeed swotted up and tonight they closed the XFM Winter Wonderland nearly raising the roof. Just a week before they play their biggest ever UK show at Earls Court the band were amazing and as energetic as ever. Is there still room for improvement? Well, an extra hour on stage would had gone down a treat!

As the crowd left we made our way upstairs to the after show where a free bar poured beer into our pint glasses until gone midnight. Ah, it's all coming back to us now writing this report just what a blooming good evening we had. Kasabain, The Kooks, Tenacious D, The Feeling... 'I Love It When You Call, I Love it when.....AAAAHHHHH!!!

(By the way, we are sure you'll find a better report from the evening in the Times, Hey, they probably announced 2007 headliners already!)

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