A Jools Holland anniversary was outdone by this amazing live performance

Despite the fact that the host is a simpering moron Later with Jools Holland has a proud tradition of quality. For a televised live experience there is still no better show in the UK. It’s a place where bands have to bring their A game: a great night on the show can do wonders for a small band trying to gain more attention. For the elder statesmen it’s a chance to show they’re still the show-stoppers of yesteryear, or more potent than they have ever been before (think Primal Screams Swastika Eyes performance).

So one night in 2008 Jools was celebrating the show’s 25th year, with heavyweights like Radiohead and Mary J Blige on the bill. Both put in excellent performances but the true winner of the night was Canadian singer Feist. In the UK many still considered Feist to be somewhat of a fad: the Apple adverts did little to endear the Brits into taking her seriously.

Then she blew the roof of Jools Holland with her performance of Sea Lion Woman. It may not seem like a banner moment in the show’s history, but the way that she commanded the studio audience, as well as her peers (Mary J Blige and Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien can be seen clapping along, and Thom Yorke is just full on dancing), separated her from the pack and caused me to download everything she’s ever done. That’s the power of Jools Holland: you watch it for the headlining act: a returning Blur, or The Who, and you become enchanted with a smaller band that you didn’t even know existed.