I actually would've liked to have heard a little of what was going through Pete Shelley's head last night at the Fine Line, but the Buzzcocks leader said next to nothing to the three-quarters-full crowd -- and he didn't have time to. With a younger rhythm section and old guitarist Steve Diggle by his side playing the flashy Pete Townshend to his dormant and dowdy Prince Phillip (or any other fuddy-duddy British geezer you can think of), Shelley led the band on a nonstop, no-nonsense tear through the Buzzcocks' first two albums, 1978's "Another Music in a Different Kitchen" and "Love Bites."

It really was like someone had burned those records onto one CD and pressed play, although poor sound issues and what looked like a poor attitude on Shelley's part marred the first few songs. By the time they got to "Love Battery," though, the show had done a complete 180. In addition to the snarling delivery of that song, other highlights included the instrumental finale of Disc 1, "Moving Away From the Pulsebeat," "Real World" and, of course, "Ever Fallen in Love," as well as the other instrumental gem "Walking Distance" (which greatly reminded me of the Replacements' "Seen Your Video;" not by coincidence, I bet).

The encore packed in the other "hits" -- "Orgasm Addict" and "What Do I Get?" -- but the best was the swaying, Diggle-led "Harmony in My Head" and a bursting "You Love Me More." Shelley seemed mildly pleased in the end, but he should've been jumping for joy his band pulled off such an impressive marathon.