Girl power

With me in tow, my 11-year-old daughter watched Avril Lavigne at the Carling Academy in Glasgow last night. Was it good? "The best night of my life", according to Wade minor, encompassing an hour and half's travel, a Chinese meal, three hours of music and screaming (a weird experience that, like listening to 1,000 deranged fax machines go off at once) and a hour and a half's travel back into the wee small hours.

Fair play to Avril, or Mrs Whibley as she is properly known these days. She puts on a show and her teeny-tiny fans go home happy. So whatever you think of the singer and her music, she at least offers something substantial to have an opinion about. It's not just a beauty contest.

Thanks to Olympus for the pic, taken from row Y of the balcony of the Academy. Glasgow was the first venue on Avril Lavigne's European tour.