Less than a week before tonight’s shimmering performance by Beth Jeans Haughton and her Hooves of Destiny, I watched her set fall apart in Stockton. Beset by technical problems she struggled through a faltering set while being repeatedly encouraged to ‘Fuck Off!’ by a couple of silver tongued charmers pressed up against the stage. On the plus side, the use of a battered old suitcase as a bass drum is something which obviously sits well with a website called Suitcase Orchestra. One day, all instruments will be made of discarded luggage.

Tonight’s set is a world away from all that, with Beth’s ethereal voice floating over her own sparkling brand of space-folk (imagine Joni Mitchell as a character in 2001 A Space Odyssey). Previous single ‘Golden’ gets the full band treatment and several songs from her forthcoming e.p. are previewed including ‘I Will Return, I Promise’ and there is a glorious soaring rendition of ‘Night Swimmer’, complete with looping live samples of Beth’s breathy vocals. There’s even some duet action with Mark Hamilton from Woodpigeon.

There’s a fragility and a prettiness to her music which belies the humour behind some of it. I doubt anyone has ever looked so glamorous, she’s wearing a blonde wig, a tasselled swimsuit and has huge Venus Flytrap eyelashes, while singing a song about running out of petrol and having to take a crap by the side of the motorway.

Beth Jeans Houghton is a superstar in waiting. Get on board early by getting her new single ‘I Will return, I Promise’ in early September. In the meantime, you can vote for it in Radcliffe and Maconies ‘Pick n Mix’ by clicking here but you’ll have to be quick sharp.

Otherwise, you can check out Beth’s cosmic-glam-folk at www.myspace.com/bethjeanshoughton