A PACKED Palace Nightclub in Bridgwater was rocked to its foundations by the iconic sound of Madness last night (Tuesday, January 8).

The ska seven-piece put on a storming show in a concert held to raise funds for the Town Hall Island Site and in memory of former Clash frontman and Sedgemoor resident Joe Strummer.

The night began with Bridgwater band Shoot The Moon mixing funky beats and guitar rhythms with bold brass melodies.

The band's young line-up gave an impressive performance, proving Bridgwater's music scene has as much a reason to look forward as back.

Taunton rockers The Royal Males were next on stage, turning the volume up a notch with a confident set.

Final warm-up group Kid Harpoon delighted the crowd with a high-octane routine.

Despite a few technical difficulties, the hotly tipped up-and-coming London based band proved a worthy support act for such established musicians.

During a forty-five minute wait fans worked themselves up into fever pitch waiting for the arrival of the iconic headliners, as crowds in pork pie hats flooded the dance floor.

By the time Madness leaped on stage, The Palace was simmering, bursting full to capacity.

The ageless maestros then put on a set consisting of old classics and new gems, not to disappoint the expectant crowd.

Animated frontman Suggs, in trademark suit and dark glasses, led the crowd through a few of the band's early chart successes, with One Step Beyond, Embarrassment and The Sun and Rain.

Fans shook the dance floor for favourites House of Fun, Baggy Trousers, Our House and Out of Space and proceedings only got livelier as the band ran through their impressive back catalogue.

Smash hit It Must Be Love then brought the set to a crashing crescendo.

The band exited the stage with the audience demanding more and Madness obliged - giving supporters an extra treat by launching into London Calling, with Suggs bravely reading the words through The Clash classic.

Song Madness brought proceedings to a finish, capping off an evening, which gave music lovers in Bridgwater a rare treat - watching a band of Madness's quality in such a close and intimate venue.

The band, an impressive coup for the town, proved why they have been chart successes for more than 30 years.

* What did you think of the gig? Click on the forum link on the left-hand side of the page to post your own reviews. And don't miss Tuesday's Mercury for our picture special.