That's right - Gong. With the Steve Hillage band as support. At the Picture House in Edinburgh.

Having seen Yes last week, I'm obviously working my way through the bands whose logos I used to have etched on my schoolbag.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect but have to report that it was all rather marvellous.

Firstly, Steve Hillage. Now, I last saw him when I was a 17-year-old in 1979. And yet, 30 years later he actually looks younger. Seriously. He has ditched the beard and now looks like Harry Potter's elder brother. Other half Miquette Giraudy was clearly a child bride as she also looked unfeasibly young.

Anyway a good set. Good backbeat, warbly synths and Hillage's trademark guitar (he was playing a minature one that reminded me of guitar hero). Like as stripped-down Gong in fact, as everyone on stage were also in that band. Good renditions of Searching for the Spark, Salmon Song and hurdy-Gurdy man. Alas, no Electrick Gypsies.

Gong were fantastic. I have never, ever seen a band enjoy themselves so much on stage. They clearly know their chops. Pretty much the same sort of sound as Hillage beefed up with woodwind/sax, Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth. Zero the Hero, Can't kill me etc. all present and correct plus some rather good new (to me, at least)stuff (Digital Girl).

The 70+ Daevid Allen was - and I'm sure he must be sick of this epithet but none other will do - sprightly. Constantly dancing around the stage, singing, playing guitar, gamely changing into his pixie hat etc. For nearly 2 hours. My dad's that age and he generally sticks to a round of golf.

Alongside the solid beat, classy soloing, chanting etc. there was a backdrop with rapidly changing computer-generated images: galaxies, pyramids, pixies, flying teapots. You know, the usual.

All in all, an explosion of sound, colour and manic fun. All buoyed, I suspect, by what was a capacity, and very positive, crowd. I can't quite get over the fact that Gong - a band whose name no-one I mentioned them to recognised other than the friend I went with - managed to pack out a middle-sized venue on a Sunday night.

So no hummable tunes or memorable lyrics but a hugely entertaining, downright joyous night out.