Gold dust from Courtney

Long serving grunge-pop outfit, Hole, better known for being Courtney Love's band - played a subdued but raw gig at the O2 Academy.

Love's return to the stage came about because she wants to renew and reinvent, casting away the troublesome shadows that have haunted her for many years.

As she took to the notably minimalistic stage, blue lights and dry ice covering the gaps, Love stole the show as she always has done, leaving her three remaining band members in her wake.

She strummed through a rocked-up cover mix of Rolling Stones, Pretty On The Inside/ Sympathy for the Devil, before playing through her back catalogue, including Boys On The Radio, Violet and Celebrity Skin, which was excoriatingly raw.

At times there were moments of coruscating, musical genius, when her crushing sound was given light by jingled Kobain-esque guitar riffs.

Love also found time to fit another cover version into the set, Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac, which left the younger generation slightly baffled as to where the song came from.

Love seemed relieved at the end of the night, unlike her adoring fans, who seemed to want more, despite being told they were the quietest group of people she'd ever played to - and that the Scottish were a better crowd.

There were times when Love underwhelmed but, as fans streamed away, they believed they'd seen the return of a high pedigree artist making a new start.nextpage