Following the late cancellation of BC Camplight, it was up to the two city outfits to impress.

Belvoir Sweet despite their self-depreciating publicity, which included such brutally honest statements as "we do just as much as we can be bothered" and "ultimately, Belvoir Sweet feel that people do not deserve to listen to their recorded material and have little interest in pandering to the demands of the public, or each other!"

Now, this sounds like the honest PR of most local bands, with the difference that Belvoir Sweet are actually rather good!

They are well-rehearsed, tight, tuneful and dynamic, with a 60s influence that’s more Badfinger than The Beatles

Like the best trios, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, with the added bonus of humorous, self-depreciating between-song banter, contrasting with their heavy rock crossed with pop instrumentation, typified by set highlight, 'Side By Side', which managed to sound like Cream jamming with XTC!

And why is it that all great bands have a singing drummer?

City duo Don's Mobile Barbers are no strangers to the Showcase, and I was hoping to give them a good slagging, after a slew of good reviews.

Fortunately, they are as classy as ever, rapidly becoming the city's very own Flaming Lips.

Heart-felt, plaintive vocals ride a subtle, dynamic rhythm , with gently strummed guitars suddenly ripping into fuzzy power-chords within always ebbing and flowing melancholic, melodic but always engaging songs.

And yes, their drummer sings!

DAVE DAVIES.