- This Saturday at the front page in Belfast's Donegall Street, the emphasis is on rock music in its many and varied forms, particularly the harder variety.

Of the four local bands lined up to play, Belfast foursome Inside are probably the best-known, having played gigs since the late 1990s and amassing enough original material to release their debut album, due later this year.

Ballymena hardcore rockers Jackalfeud (right) join Willow Drive, which sounds like it's in a much better part of town than the band's previous name/address of Toilet Street.

Completing the bill are This Year's Black, a band whose tactic of luring an audience with their haunting melodies, before smashing them in the brain with the power of their guitars, invariably seems to work for them every time they play.

- Glasgow's metal experimentalists Snowblood hit Lavery's Bunker this Monday, which is also September 11, a fact not missed by the designer of the excellent, yet slightly harrowing, posters advertising this gig around Belfast.

Local support comes courtesy of Belfast trio Slomatics who, despite their lack of a bass guitar, manage to combine the use of valve amps and low-tuned six-strings to give their audience's internal organs the occasional wobble.

Twice as many members doesn't necessarily mean twice as much volume, but six-piece band The Nexus will probably manage to convince you otherwise.

Their unique sound combines a heavy and intense blend of technical and slow harsh noise, building to a crescendo of almost pure aural carnage - which actually isn't as bad as it sounds!

- The Black Box in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter is fast becoming a must-play venue for local bands, with their Friday night showcase gigs attracting some great reviews and good crowds.

Tonight's bill is a cracker, featuring the last-ever UK performance by American band Boysetsfire, with some excellent local support joining them.

Post-hardcore exponents We Are Knives play alongside Belfast rock n roll trio, Your New Friend, who recently played their first gig outside Northern Ireland.

Tickets for this gig are like gold dust as many have been snapped up by English fans of the headliners who know that something very special is going to be taking place in the Hill Street venue this evening.