I don't know whether it is something to do with Christmas but the gigs I've been going to recently seem to be getting wilder and wilder.

It's not as if I've just been to see a hardcore metal band or even teen-worshipped idols of the Gareth Gates variety.

No, the gig I've just been to where bouncers in their multitudes milled and had to keep the crowd under control (just) was for the nutty, chirpy, ska boys, Madness.

The core of the band, Mike Barson, Chris Foreman and Lee Thompson, began performing as Morris And The Minors in 1976.

In 1978, they changed their name to Invaders and more than doubled their size, adding Graham "Suggs" McPherson, Mark Bedford, Chas Smash and Dan Woodgate to the group.

Later that year, they changed their name to Madness and released their first single which reached the UK top 20.

A string of classics later and the madcap lads from Camden Town were firmly on the map as long-term national treasures, with their videos featuring rambunctious romps through their North London neighborhoods peppered with the antics of Suggs, whose exhuberant dancing and weirdo expressions gave the already bouncy music even more personality.

Despite splitting up in 1986, the happy-go-lucky ways of the Madness crew have never gone away.

Suggs, Thompson, Foreman and Smash briefly reformed as The Madness in 1988 and the band has come together numerous times since for one-off concerts, such as 1992's Finsbury Park gig and now their musical, Our House, has hit the West End.

And judging by last night, their following is as big as ever.

For the first few songs, a couple of band members were clearly wondering what they were doing there, like uncles cajoled into doing the party turn at a wedding.

At one stage, Woody complained of a hole in his guitar and the banter took over, showing the band was just as capable of being stand-up comedians as musicians.

It's unclear what happened but lots of technical people were walking on and off stage and the band lined up chairs with their back to the audience to watch a tribute video to the late Ian Dury on a big screen, presumably something we were to be treated to even if they hadn't had their technical hitches.

Yet, despite the hold-up, the crowd didn't seem bored for a second and soon after the tribute, it was time to start again.

The big hits were all stored up until the end and as soon as the sounds of House Of Fun echoed around the packed Brighton Centre, it was time for familiar tune after familiar tune which got the audience into more and more of a frenzy.

My personal highlight was It Must Be Love, where everyone seemed to be on their feet with tough-looking bodyguards dodging around the crowd trying to stop people dancing in the aisle, smoking and various other out-of control activities.

The encores were a must and whipped up the frenzy some more until the night was sadly over.

The boys from Camden Town may have looked and even acted like your favourite uncle but, boy, they could still entertain.