THE volume was turned up at the Bolton Festival as local bands showcased their music.

Seven home grown acts appeared together on an epic bill at the event organised by the Bolton Music Collective and Bolton-based Inaudible magazine.

A crowd of 300 fans were drawn to the Albert Halls to see each band try to stamp their own style on the grand venue.

Indie quartet The Capture opened the show with a string of lilting acoustic ballads punctuated with rocky outbursts.

The band's lead singer Paul Ashton made the most of the huge sound system brought into the hall by casting a fine voice to the back of the cavernous hall during their four-song set as the venue filled up.

Then The Newds took to the stage, opening with tight, fast garage rock which stirred the appreciative crowd.

But the four guitarists on stage drowned out much of their set with a heavy wall of sound which masked some fine songs.

After the first two bands had been and gone, it became clear that the evening's format of hosting seven bands was slowing down what could have been a more enjoyable evening.

The breaks between each act were painfully long and clearly bored the restless crowd.

Each of the bands, though, soon brought the audience back to life.

Metal trio Leaf opened with hard-riffing rock which brought the biggest cheer of the night so far and left the remaining four with a hard act to follow.

When Billyclub walked on to the stage to a big reception, it was clear that many of those gathered had come to see the foursome.

Their thrash metal set left the crowd gasping as they exited the stage to a massive ovation.

Minions of Jeffrey cranked things up further with a set of spikey punk/ska which delighted their personal fan club and ensured the biggest cheer of the night. It might not be new, but live, this band are a delight.

Mannekin John then slowed the pace slightly with angst ridden guitar material that showed real songwriting talent.

Hilton were left with the task of finishing off the night but found themselves playing to a smaller crowd than the bands earlier during the night.

They didn't disappoint with a well-crafted set of edgy guitar that brought a satisfying end to the night with Perfect Day and Rapeseed highlights.

In all, this was a great chance to see bands who generally showed promise but dragged on far too long.