With the Stone Roses Bar, formerly the Grapes, opening in January, there will be one more venue catering for those students who are not fans of the generic mainstream music favoured by most clubs and bars in York.

Although Fibbers gives those who take an interest in live bands and artists the opportunity to see music in its purest form, compared to larger university cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, York sees few alternative acts pass through its walls.

The student indie scene is still alive and kicking though, be it on a much smaller scale than that of chart pop and dance.

In the city, those escaping the cheese can dance to music ranging from punk rock and Brit pop to current chart-topping indie bands in the downstairs room of the Gallery on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Campus events also put the guitar on a pedestal with student bands, among a small number of signed artists, being encouraged to play at college events and open-mic nights as well as take their instruments to war at Battle of the Bands in the summer term. They can also entertain the hundreds of students who turn out for the university's very own outdoor festival, Woodstock.

Indie soc is one of the largest societies on campus with more than 400 members, the title acting as an umbrella term for a great variety of more esoteric alternative musical tastes. The society is involved in organising music for college events and also puts on its own nights where students within the society volunteer their music collections and DJing skills.

Finding out about new bands, artists and genres of music becomes an active hobby for some students. Their interests are used to help define themselves and engage in social scenes with like-minded people.

Updated: 09:24 Friday, December 10, 2004