Where were you? We told you it would be great, and you didn't come. Two of the leading up-and-coming underground bands are on your doorstep and you chose to stay in and watch The Brits.

Leeds is the place to be at the moment. How big the scene could get is still in the balance. Another Madchester? Probably not, but if there is a push from Leeds to be the next major musical hotspot - The Cribs will be on the frontline.

The three brothers from Wakefield pull off the art-punk approach brilliantly. Drainpipe jeans, jumping scissor kicks, a drummer who spends more time standing on his stool than sitting on it, and a guitarist who can do that thing when you lie on your side and then run, thus causing your body to rotate with your shoulder as a pivot - if you see what I mean; all essential rock'n'roll credentials.

Oh yeah, and they write damn fine songs too. Their next single You Were Always The One sounded good on the night, but their live show needs a bit of work. At times the performance was sloppy, which may all be part of the punk ethic, but with a little tightening up The Cribs should fulfil their potential.

10,000 Things are a whole other barrel of monkeys. I missed a large portion of the set as I getting an interview with The Cribs. But when you walk into a room to see a frontman wearing a purple suit and leather trilby, out of his tree and dancing like Elwood from The Blues Brothers - you take notice.

My immediate thought was to draw comparisons with The Fall - a post-punk sound and a drunk singer - but there the comparison stopped. The Cribs stand a better chance of success, but 10,000 Things could cause the larger ripples.

Jon Raitt

Read an interview with the band

In Weekender