A FULL house on a Sunday evening is testament to this excellent venue, and it came as no surprise that all three bands on show were good.

Tynemouth-based New Vinyl have a raw, driving sound and are definitely worth following if their dynamic and highly enjoyable 20-minute set is anything to go by.

Likewise, Good Books, a London-based group whose quirky synth sound is harnessed to driving bass, lead guitar and pleasant harmonies and emerges as something exciting and highly listenable.

The mention of The Maccabees garners mixed responses among my musical sources. A self-professed Christian band, they draw on punk and indie influences.

However, any band named after Jewish rebels who fought against a dictator is all right by me and worthy of checking out. I'm really pleased I did, as were the audience who sang along throughout this excellent 13-song set.

The Brighton-based five-piece produce quality power pop with delightful hooks, each with a singalong chorus. Drawing from their critically acclaimed albums 21st Century Spin and Modern Man, they introduced new material from their forthcoming CD.

About Your Dress, Precious Time, First Love, Diamond and Lego all sounded exquisite in a set that never fell below top-notch. As singer Andy Jennings mentioned on a few occasions, the last time they played Newcastle there were 12 people in the audience. This time there were more than ten times that number. The word is out: The Maccabees are well worth checking out.