LIVE music is alive and well in Bolton if the number of musicians who turned up for Steve Lamacq's Car Boot Sale on Sunday afternoon is anything to go by writes Andy Scoble

In total, 16 bands performed their two best songs to an appreciative audience at the Life Bar Cafe, before chatting to a willing posse of on-hand experts.

Part of Radio 1's weekend in the town, the event was a chance for local bands to make an impression in front of people with a bit of clout.

Steve Lamacq, who champions new bands on his Radio 1 show, was joined by producers and promoters from the station, as well as representatives from the national music press, record companies and singing coaches.

Steve admitted: "I never expected so many bands."

He said there were one or two groups that interested him but he remained tight-lipped as to which they were.

Afterwards he told the Bolton Evening News: "The gig was very much like listening in to a rehearsal studio. It was raw and it was exciting.

"I thought the event would have attracted a couple of people playing acoustic guitars. But the session was superb with some quality acts."

There was certainly no shortage of talent as the town's brightest young stars gave it their all.

The bands on show ranged from Hilton and Mazeppa, who are both on the verge of releasing albums, through to Everyday Life and Laeka, who were performing live for the first time.

Other acts came from further afield, including hip hop artist Kable -- originally from South Africa, but now living in Bolton.

Such was the level of interest in the event, the last few bands only had time for one song each, despite Radio 1 allowing an extra half hour, but the likes of Only One Mammal and Sleeping Giant still made an impression.

But it was not a competition, and unusually for this type of event, inter-band jealousies were put to one side as the musicians shared the limited equipment available (lack of space and time meant drum kits were reduced to the bare minimum).

And the Bolton Evening News's 24:7 sub-editor Andy Scoble was also on hand to give bands tips on how to get the best out of the local paper!

Earlier yesterday budding DJs tried their hand at radio presenting .

Alistair Kirkhope, from Smithills, and John Carson, from Halliwell, both aged 16, took part in the Mike Check session yesterday.

Alistair said: "I do Media Studies at Smithills School and I really want to be a DJ so it was great to be given expert advice."

According to Radio 1 bosses, the weekend's event went "extremely well". The station's DJs praised people in Bolton for their enthusiasm and Emma B, who presented the station's Sunday Surgery live in Bolton, said she would love to return. She was last in Bolton two years ago for the One Big Sunday event in Moss Bank Park.