Leicester was presumably deserted on Friday and Saturday (and the city team's most famous footballer recruited to perform the introductions), but fans came from further afield too to see the town's, and Britain's, most creative exports reunited for the first time in 40 years.

There were many father-and-son units, but on Saturday it was clear women had missed Family too, as one of the capital's classic venues became a sold-out grooving, singalong mass of more mature music-lovers.

In five years the group, with vocalist Roger Chapman's distinct blues voice at the top of the mix, produced eight albums which ranged from folk-rock balladry to soul-funk in style. This re-incarnation had co-founders drummer Rob Townsend and Chapman joining vibes player Poli Palmer and guitarist Jim Cregan from the group's late line-ups. The "In-Laws" onstage, including saxophonist Nick Payn, guitarist Geoff Whitehorn and Paul Hirsh on keyboards boosted the band to nine, more than ever appeared in their heyday.

It was the Fearless and Bandstand albums that made up the bulk of the set, with room for hits Weaver's Answer, In My Own Time and Burlesque. Less predictable was Top of the Hill, Bandstand's closing track, as an atmospheric opener, and Palmer's jazzy instrumental Crinkly Grin and the complex Between Blue and Me. Family's cavalier deployment of different time signatures and inventive musical arrangements, which meant they fitted the progressive-rock label without having any of its pretensions, have echoes in the indie scene today. This reunion was supposedly a one-off, but with a boxed set just released, can summer festival invitations be far away?

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