If you hadn’t worked it out from the name, Cloudbusting are a Kate Bush tribute group. But walking in her footsteps is tough; the songs are complex and demanding – and hugely familiar.

But Cloudbusting are more than up to the challenge. Singer Mandy Watson looks like Kate but more importantly, she can sing like her. Her voice has an extraordinary range and the rest of the band do a terrific job at giving her the template to deliver spot on versions of Bush’s hits.

Watson completely inhabits them and in Michael Mayell they have a keyboard player who can do justice to the sophisticated arrangements of songs like ‘Wow’ and ‘Sea of Honey’. 

But frankly, whichever song they turn their attention to, they do it with skill, warmth and no little gusto.

Cloudbusting also appreciate that doing Kate Bush live is about ‘the show’. Videos accompany each song and the group add to the visual experience, at times shining torches into the audience or indulging in a bit of ‘am dram’ when required.

And of course, while Kate Bush’s recent shows focussed almost exclusively on her ‘Hounds of Love’ and ‘Aerial’ albums, Cloudbusting give the audience what they want – the hits.

Whether it’s a soaring  ‘Wuthering Heights’, a spine tingling ‘This Woman’s Work’ or a joyous  ‘Sat In Your Lap’ , Watson and her band pull it off.

“If you didn’t get tickets to see Kate Bush, hopefully we’re making you feel better” says Watson at one point. “Or worse?” quips bass player Dave Roberts. Definitely better, Dave, definitely better.

By Mark Thomas