FORGET Woodstock and Glastonbury. Radcliffe High School was the place to be!

There was music for the masses, or at least for the 500 pupils at the Abden Street school, on Tuesday (April 23) when the school hosted YAMAHA AL!VE.

Radcliffe High is the first school in the borough chosen to host the event which aims to encourage children to take up playing a musical instrument.

But instead of playing Frere Jacques on the recorder they had up and coming local rock band AL!VE to show them just what an exciting career can be had in music.

The day-long event allowed pupils to try their hand at playing the guitar and keyboards as well as having a bash on the drums.

In the afternoon AL!VE's management gave an illuminating talk about the music industry which was full of inside tips, and the band itself gave a sell-out performance in the school hall in the evening which raised £800 for the school's Information Technology bid.

There were plans to bring £100,000 of equipment which would enable pupils to record their own CDs, but in true rock 'n' roll tradition there was a last minute hitch and the van transporting the goods was trapped in a traffic snarl-up on the M6.

School spokesman Carol Cain said: "It was a pity but it certainly didn't ruin the day which was a tremendous success. The pupils thought it was a wonderful experience and the school was still buzzing on Wednesday morning."

So don't be surprised if the school spawns a future chart-topping band, inspired by the day. And 14-year-old Esther Mills could be the next pop idol once she masters the £200 electric guitar and amplifier which she won in the essay writing competition.