YORK Live Music Festival ends tomorrow with "the best line-up of York talent for many years" in the BarbiCUBE showcase at the Barbican Centre.

Who says so? Rose Kent, of event organisers Cube Media studios.

"We feel that because of the electronic and dance strands, it has an attraction for the younger element: more so than other recent music festivals there have been in this city," she says.

"The York music scene tends to be dissipated, separated between rock music and dance. It's been more of a cult thing, so we're trying to bring them together for a day of joint celebration to show the best of York music in as wide a range as possible."

Organised by Cube Media, in association with the City of York Council Arts Service, BarbiCUBE will be spread between four rooms in the evening: live bands on the main stage; electronic acts in the upstairs bar; DJs in the Melt Records/Pure Sheng Lounge in a studio; and the Acoustic Lounge in a ground-floor bar.

In addition, from 1pm to 4.30pm, a free unplugged/acoustic event in the foyer features Andy Hillier's jazz ensemble The Imperial Young Gentlemen's Dance Orchestra and Cube Media's own Megajam bands, put together at workshop sessions.

The evening activities run from 7.30pm to 1.30am, with a special late licence. Topping the main stage bill will be New Flesh, a hip-hop group with York roots, who have progressed from playing at Fibbers to performing on Tim Westwood's BBC Radio 1 show. The line-up of MCs Juice Aleem and Toastie Taylor and programmer Keith Part 2 recorded much of their early material at Finsbury Park Studios, the York home to Melt Records.

As BarbiCUBE co-organiser Mark Yeshin, of Melt Records, explains: "It was Keith's re-mixing of a Roots Manuva track that brought them to attention. It got played on Tim Westwood's radio show, and their last Fibbers show six months ago sold out by 9pm on the night.

"Tomorrow will be a rare appearance in York for them, so it's well worth catching them."

Even more so because they will be accompanied by the UK University Breakdancing Champions for added spectacle.

Justin Jamieson is travelling from France to front a specially re-formed Breathe, while Sevenball, who have moved to London since winning the 2002 Fibbers/Evening Press Battle of the Bands, will be returning north tomorrow.

The Shanks, singer songwriter Hayley Hutchinson and drum'n'bass act Scassa Monakee, winners of the University of York Battle of the Bands, complete the main stage bill.

In the Electronic Bar, Novamute acts Tim Wright/Tubejerk and Debasser perform live while Distrakt Records founders Piliavin and Zimbardo play on four decks, all accompanied by visuals and video projections. Mark 101and Nigel Rogers will be in action too.

House music label Melt Records and York vinyl record shop Pure Sheng are teaming up to present the Melt/Pure Sheng Lounge. Pure Sheng's Leo Clayton, Melt's Rich Clark, Beau Mannant and Mark Autumn, Mossadon from Electroempire.com and Breakz' Jack Mullen are all involved.

The Acoustic Lounge will be showcasing York's acoustic talent: Just Jon, Becky Mills, Matt Grace, the Dan Webster Band, Andy Curry, and Strung Out competition winner Mike Newsham and runner-up Jessie Gardham.

BarbiCUBE is part of both York Live Music Festival and BBC Music Live. Tickets are available at £10, concessions £7, from the Barbican, tel 01904 656688, and Pure Sheng Records, in Micklegate. Please note, first pint of John Smith's or Foster's will be half price before 9pm.

Updated: 10:57 Friday, June 06, 2003