The last time I came to Lincoln's Drill Hall I bought an LP called 'Beatles, Bach and Bacharach Go Bossa' at a record fair for 50p, I had a side parting and the whole place smelt like a wet dog. By Brez Barwise
Brez Barwise. He *is* rock.

6 years on and at the re-opening of this splendid building on Saturday, the place had an aroma of fresh paint and varnished wood but I still cut my own hair. Some things never change. A great deal of time, effort and money has been spent in re-developing the Drill Hall into a music and arts venue of which the county can be proud and how fitting that the Soundlincs Battle of the Bands finals should grace us with an eclectic mix of Lincolnshire's finest live music.

No chance of forgetting where you are	The all important new bar

The 7-hour climax to the competition consisted of the heat's winning 6 bands separated into 3 'semi-finals' of 2 bands each competing against each other. The winning 3 then competed in the evening's 'final'.

The Whelk Attachment were first up but we missed them because we were busy stalking Emmerdale's own Chris Tate in Walkabout. But more about The Whelk's later!

Up against them were Mad Crowd Disease who, being of frighteningly tender years, seemed more likely to be playing a school hall instead of The Drill Hall but you couldn't help but be hooked by their boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm.

Underglo are an indie-pop chameleon with enough charisma and individuality to carry it off. Their killer set built on their victory in the heats and some promising demos. These boys are ones to look out for.

Indie-pop chameleleons, Underglo	Safety in Numbers

Cock Yer Leg sound like Limp Bizkit giving The Audio Bully's a Chinese burn while Madness keep an eye out for the headmaster. Their scizophrenic mad ska/thrash metal stylings were certainly popular, and the lead singers' Leeds Utd shirt brought back memories of Mel C's wardrobe.

Safety By Numbers don't look capable of fighting their way out of a plastic pint pot but their music is pure Rage Against the Latrine. As tight as Kylie's buttocks and pulling off all the right moves, from the guitarists Led Zep t-shirt to the lead singer's throaty growl their non-stop blending of tracks is all part of the appeal of this 'against-type' set of rockers.

Rides The Bus completed the line-up and again seemed genuinely pleased to be performing in front of a large and diverse crowd, with a theatrical stage presence and great band chemistry.

Battle of the Band 2004 Winners - The Whelk Attachment.	Gareth, Rachel and Brendan - Our lovely Mix team hob-nob with the bands.

The evening's final between the three semi-final winners (The Whelk Attachment, Underglo and Rides The Bus) was eventually won by The Whelk Attachment. The funky Whelks were deserving winners and it was a brave decision by the judges. They seemed perplexed by the decision having experienced technical problems early on and rating the other bands above themselves. This is part of The Whelks modest charm and with a set that was not only exciting and edgy, but dramatic and a fitting way to bring the curtain down on The Drill Hall's first night.

Be sure to listen to The Friday Night Mix this week from 7-9pm on BBC Radio Lincolnshire 94.9FM for a full review and more reaction from the event and the winners in session.