Maybe Dave Clarke really is misunderstood or maybe he just enjoys playing up to his prickly reputation.
As he demonstrated here, with a back catalogue as strong as his he has no need to care whether he's viewed with affection.
Record company wrangles and his own contrary nature have prevented his profile from rising as it might but few names are so closely identified with quality British techno as his.
This was a live show, with Clarke employing the scratching style familiar from his DJ sets in a seamless recasting of his works.
Time will never dim the glories of old classics such as Southside. The more recent delights of the discofied The Wiggle and The Wolf's sleek and menacing rumble did not suffer in comparison.
Clarke dedicated the final track to John Peel, saying with touching modesty: "I wouldn't be here today without him." Maybe he is a nice guy after all.
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