August 28, 2001 17:03

LET ROWLAND SING!

The former Dexy's Midnight Runners frontman stuns an Islington hostelry by belting out a Dexy's classic and a Burt Bacharach number...

an DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS founder KEVIN ROWLAND has performed live for the first time in two years - at a book launch in LONDON, NME.COM can reveal.

Rowland, who has remained out of the public eye since his appearances at the Reading and Leeds festivals in 1999 in support of his solo album 'My Beauty', performed a short set at Filthy McNasty's bar in Islington, north London (August 23).

Rowland performed two songs, Burt Bacharach's 'This Guy's In Love With You' and 'I Love You Listen To This' from Dexys' classic 'Don't Stand Me Down' album.

In addition to his live performance, Rowland read from the Paul Gorman fashion and music retrospective 'The Look'.

Other performances came from ex-Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, who performed a cover of The Kinks' 'Dedicated Follower Of Fashion'.