For those of you with Sky cable TV, there is a stripped down no nonsense music show called Centre Stage on the Sky Arts Channel (253).

Centre Stage started on 1 December with From The Basement, a brand new groundbreaking music series with intimate live performances, allowing the artists to really take centre stage. The first of the series saw performances by The White Stripes, Neil Gannon  (of The Divine Comedy) and The Shins - who get my vote for best album of the year. There are no annoying presenters, no Top Of The Pops like rent-a-crowd and no dizzy camera effects.  Each week artists old and new play a few songs in the studio basement flanked only by the production team and roadies.

Tonight’s performances include PJ Harvey and  the wonderfully fabulous Super Furry Animals.

The Centre Stage series will also include legendary live footage including Stones In The Park film of the Rolling Stones 1969 concert in Hyde Park that took place just days after Brian Jones was found dead in his swimming pool; and David Bowie in Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars, in their last ever show at the Hammersmith Odeon from 1973.

You can watch video clips of previous performances on the Centre Stage Microsite

Here is the line-up so far:

1 December 2007: From the Basement: The White Stripes. The Shins & Neil Hannon
8 December 2007: From the Basement: Thom Yorke, Albert Hammond Jr (The Strokes) & The Envelopes
15 December 2007: From the Basement: Beck, Jarvis Cocker & Jamie Lidell (Super Collider)
22 December 2007: From the Basement: Sonic Youth, Jose Gonzalez and Laura Marling
29 December 2007: From the Basement: Super Furry Animals, PJ Harvey, Operator Please and Free Blood
5 January 2008: From the Basement: Damien Rice, Autolux, E (Eels) and Architecture in Helsinki
12 Jan 2007: Queen and Paul Rodgers - Return of the Champions
19 Jan 2008: The Stones in the Park
26 January 2008: Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night
2 February 2008: Eric Clapton and Friends: Band du Lac
9 February 2008: The Pixies Acoustic
16 February 2008: Eric Clapton: Crossroads
23 February 2008: Elvis Costello Live in Montreal featuring Allen Toussaint
1 March 2008: Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
8 March 2008: Elvis Costello and the Impostors: Live in Memphis

Broadcast times
Sat 29 Dec 2007 9:00pm - 9:50pm
Thu 03 Jan 2008 10:00pm - 11:00pm
Sat 05 Jan 2008 1:00am - 2:00am
Sat 05 Jan 2008 11:30am - 12:30pm