As I said in my last post sometimes you don't know what you're going to get when you sign up for a festival show.

Unfortunately I have just seen two bad shows back to back - and unusually they were both Festival shows.

Breaking News was just disappointing - a great idea but it hadn't been worked out properly, or developed for an English audience, which ultimately made it a frustrating experience.

And In Kharms Way was just as bad as I dreaded it might be - self-indulgent, inaccessible and ultimately weird - although there were people whooping and cheering in the half empty Pavilion Theatre.

It is dispiriting to have two bad shows one after the other, although luckily I wasn't paying to see them. You still lose time and bus money though, and it puts you off taking chances on other shows. I'm now looking at the other reviews I've got over the next couple of weeks and wondering exactly what I've put myself in for!

Still, have got The Haunted Moustache tonight, pretty much a safe bet. I heard Dr David Bramwell read an extract at last year's The Brighton Moment and really enjoyed it, and I'm a big fan of The Cheeky Guide To Brighton, so hopefully it should be okay.

A much-needed night off on Sunday, although we're considering getting our own tickets for the Argus Angel-winning Festen, and then two shows in one night. Janis at Fletch sees Otherplace Productions' Nicky Haydn recreate the legend that was Janis Joplin in a one-woman show. It's the first time I've ever seen her perform, so I am looking forward to it - and it's our own tickets, so there is no pressure of a review.

And then it's another safe bet - The Levellers acoustic night. I have seen The Levellers live more than any other band, and they have never disappointed me yet, they are everything a live performance should be, energetic, self-effacing and playing the songs you want to hear. This will be the second time I have seen their acoustic show, so I've got a good idea what I'm getting. Added to that it will be my first visit to the Parlure which I'm looking forward to.

Really bad reviews are a bit like bad football matches. They are disappointing at the time, but there are always other fixtures to look forward to.