Jarvis Cocker, Dome Concert Hall, Brighton, May 23

4:37pm Monday 26th May 2008

There are not many people I'd sit still and watch for two hours while they waved a stick and swore - but if it's Jarvis Cocker, it's different.

Like most sentient pop fans, I fell in love with Pulp more than a decade ago, but I had never seen Cocker in the flesh before.

So this jewel in the crown of the Brighton Festival finale - Jarvis on songwriting - was too good to miss.

The collective gasp of adoration when Cocker walked onto the stage was truly impressive, summing up the mood of the evening.

Yes, he was wise, witty and totally on top of his game when it came to this lecturing lark, but even such riveting discussion could never compete with the sheer shock of recognition, the endless glorious Jarvisness of him (with a stick!) It's hard to describe the sense of collective genuflection which built to fever pitch on several searing occasions; the performance of the first Jarvis song ever written, the short film from art school, the adorable childhood story about sleeping in the wardrobe.

For someone who has built his career on being a mis-shapen geek, Jarvis is almost breathtakingly charismatic, and the heroes who he showed clips of in order to illustrate his lecture - John Lennon, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen - couldn't help but be dwarfed by his fragile shadow.

Even during the extended question time afterwards - Cocker was extraordinarily generous with his time - the audience kept straying off their chosen query in order to bid one more thanks for the blessed benediction of his presence.

And could you blame us? Sexy, clever and fun, this was everything that most pop shows aren't.

The most fun I've ever had without vomiting afterwards, for sure.

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