Name: Blazin' Squad; Occupation: Eye-candy rap team of North London estate boys for school girls

Where and when will the Squad be in York?: At Fibbers music bar, Tuesday evening. Doors open at 7.30pm for novel sight of ten finger-waving boys in hoods squeezing on to that small stage, low ceiling and all

Why are they coming here?: To perform charity show in aid of Shelter and War Child, as part of Passport's series of Back To The Bars concerts featuring big names in not-so-big Barfly venues in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool and York

Weren't Blazin' Squad supposed to play York last year?: Ah, yes they were. Twice they pulled out of making their York debut at the Grand Opera House. First they cited recording commitments for cancelling their Blazin' Hot Summer Party on August 29, then they called off their autumn tour, including a November 16 date in York, blaming their "hectic schedule". Apparently studio commitments had been extended and a "gruelling promotional campaign had made it difficult to prepare and rehearse for the tour"

Third time lucky, then?:

Since those no-shows in York, the Squad have been Blazin' a trail across the nation's pop programmes in support of their second album, the aptly named Now Or Never. Tuesday's appearance is expected to trigger the kind of hysteria not experienced in York since Donny Osmond visited the BBC Radio York studios in April 2001.

Who is in the Squad?: Nine MCs, one DJ, ten hoodies. Namely Kenzie, Strider, Freek, Melo-D, Reepa, Spike-e, Krazy, Rocky B, Flava and Tommy B, who have known each other since childhood. Inspired by mutual love of hip hop and garage, they began MCing and DJing at 13.

Pocket history: On Monday, August 19 2002, ten 16-year-old school friends from North London released debut single Crossroads, a cover of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's 1996 hit Tha Crossroads. On the Thursday, they learned they had achieved 66 GCSE passes between them. On the Sunday, Crossroads entered the charts at number one. By August 2003, they had three more Top Ten hits, Love On The Line and Reminisce/Where The Story Ends, both plucked from debut album In The Beginning, and We Just Be Dreamin', the first single off Now Or Never, released last November. Since then, further singles Flip Reverse and Here 4 One have turned up the Blazin' heat still higher

Influences: Eminem, DMX, So Solid Crew, Blue, Sean Paul, Linkin Park

What's on their mind?: "Some of our songs are about us, others are just proper love songs," says Krazy. "We're rapping about everything from super heroes to bank robbers, stuff that our mates can relate to. It's pop with the sharpest edge"

Please take note: Tickets will not be available on the door, and Blazin' Squad will not be at Fibbers during Tuesday daytime.

Updated: 15:34 Thursday, February 26, 2004