WHEN it comes to putting together pure pop hits, Erasure are surely among best in the world. For me they re not an album band – and that can be a big criticism, but instead it seems that they re slowly putting together the greatest greatest hits album

WHEN it comes to putting together pure pop hits, Erasure are surely among best in the world.

For me they're not an album band - and that can be a big criticism, but instead it seems that they're slowly putting together the greatest "greatest hits" album the pop world has ever seen.

From their latest album, Light At The End Of The World, the key addition to this magnificent collection is I Could Fall In Love With You - a song so strong it puts many of their past hits in their place.

Live, the duo are a familiarly odd couple - synth-pop duos have a tradition of flamboyant singers and stern, deadpan keyboardists/ computer wizards. Vince Clarke stands behind a computer for much of the show, while Andy Bell moves around the stage as if he's a schoolboy in his bedroom dancing to his favourite records. He's spontaneous, uninhibited, smiling - a great showman.

And they certainly know how to put on a show. In the centre of the stage is a glittery staircase - very old Hollywood, but just a bit more camp. Just a bit.

After a costume change, the three female backing singers return with brightly coloured dresses and wigs that glow brightly in the UV light on stage.

There is a lot for the eyes to take in and it's not so bad on the ears either.

My favourite song of theirs is Sometimes and they played it just slightly slower than usual - really taking the edge of the euphoria it usually elicits, making it colder and sadder. Not considerably, but enough to make it felt.

CHRIS BOLAND