STAND-UP comedy and music are not always happy bedfellows.

Although many would argue the current condition of the record industry points to a bleakly amusing scenario, the twang of guitar or a spot of vocal high jinks don't always lend themselves to the cut and thrust of the comedy stage.

But Mitch Benn and Hils Barker - performing as part of the York Music Live festival - ran a tuneful bulldozer through that theory last night with a clutch of cheeky rhyming couplets and a collection of obscure chords.

Opener Barker nursed an injured finger cut in a freak avocado-slicing accident.

This may have shortened her musical adventures, but her set still bore fruit, taking in a cynical rant about Daily Mail letters, Swiss neutrality and her own pop idol Bob Dylan's decision to help plug women's underwear.

However, Viking warrior look-alike Benn struck more of a chord as he intertwined satire as savage as his notorious forefathers with scintillating self-penned songs.

Talented enough for Radio Four to hand him his own show, Crimes Against Music, Benn's guitar greats included a Hitler-inspired country and western odyssey (The Lonesome Fuhrer), a stinging attack on boy bands (Die Westlife Die) and a note-perfect trawl through the BBC's Perfect Day advert, expertly mimicking Bowie, Reed, Pavarotti et al.

With a bewildering array of facial expressions and vocal tricks combined with cast-iron musical ability, this is one Benn that deserves to be very, very big.

Updated: 10:08 Monday, May 24, 2004