IT was high time Pulse's new editor got out from behind his desk and onto the East Lancashire music scene. And what better way to see the cream of local talent than by helping to judge a competition? PAUL BARRY reports on Chaplin's Music Bar's Battle of the Bands. WHO better to help this Burnley battle commence than angry punks The Accident?

Their fistfuls of aggression and poise got the competition started with a jolly good kick up the backside. While not the most original, they were a stunningly tight outfit with some loyal spiky-haired fans slam-dancing and swaggering in support.

Brave girl band Earl had some superb ideas, mixing saxophone with plenty of clever stop-start guitar pop.

But the girls, led by singer Ruth sporting her B&Q work badge, seemed too nervous to make much impact. I hope they'll keep nurturing their great creative spark.

Thousand Star were a frankly forgettable affair, technically good but lacking the class of the alternative rock legends they tried to emulate.

Nelson four-piece Element stole the first night, combining the creativity and tight sound lacked by The Accident and Earl respectively.

Their noisy guitar goings-on are certainly an acquired taste, but their energetic performance saw them oozing with confidence. When they downed instruments and joined frontman Jay for a harmonised hand-clapping session round the mike, they truly looked like a band united.

Punks Scapegoat were unfortunately outclassed on the second night, having won through from one of the weaker heats.

Ozrics-influenced rockers Elfin, in a league of their own during the heats, impressed once more with their spacey rock sounds. But it was not to be their night.

Crossover act Gecko managed to blur the fine line between dance and indie nicely, with their resident DJ throwing some mad-sounding samples into the mix. It came down to a fight between Gecko and poppy punks Bluewaccadoslurpie!, compared by some to American punks Green Day.

In the end, the lads with the long silly name won through, picking up the £1,000 prize money and free studio time. May they use it well.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.