VINCE YALLOP Forty bands/solo acts/DJs in four days – the Norwich Pop Underground Convention is back for its third year, from June 30 to July 3, with seven gigs packed with chunk of the area's alternative music talent and a few from beyond.

VINCE YALLOP

Forty bands/solo acts/DJs in four days – the Norwich Pop Underground Convention is back for its third year, from June 30 to July 3, with seven gigs packed with chunk of the area's alternative music talent and a few from beyond.

This year's attractions include The Broken Family Band (alt.country tinged songs, from Cambridge), Magoo (guitar-pop wonders of West Norfolk), Fonda 500 (madcap poppy indie, from Hull), Stuffy/The Fuses (Stuffy drums in Graham Coxon's band), Horses Brawl (medieval-style instrumentals), Grand Prix '86 (new keyboards/drum trio with upbeat songs), Hoofus (beeping electronics in overdrive), Kid Atom (folktronica, with mini accordion) and Fun! Yeah! (upcoming synth-rockers).

This year many of the gigs are being staged at Norwich Arts Centre for its auditorium appeal, which aims to raise £150,000 to pay for a complete redecoration and improvements to sound, stage, lighting, seating and accessibility.

Other events include a late-night of laptop mash-ups and indie-rock at Sonic nightclub, a free acoustic afternoon in the bar of Norwich Arts Centre, and a free Sunday afternoon electro-picnic in the back room of the The Marquee pub (inside – bring picnic mats and food, but buy all drinks at the bar).

An art exhibition is also being staged in the Norwich Playhouse bar area from June 27 to July 3.

All gigs will have stalls with local band/label merchandise.

Wristband tickets, offering entry to Norwich Arts Centre evening shows and £1 off Sonic and Marquee events, are £12 from Norwich Arts Centre, or you can buy tickets for individual events (box office 01603 660352).

Further details at http://npuc.mqprojects.co.uk and at www.norwichartscentre.co.uk

LINE-UP

t Thursday June 30 at Norwich Arts Centre, St Benedict's Street: The Broken Family Band, Don's Mobile Barbers, Stuffy/The Fuses, Happy J Fost DJs. (8-11pm, £6 advance).

t Thursday June 30 at Sonic, Prince of Wales Road: S***mat, Synapse, Sukoshi, Underground DJs (11pm-2am £4 door, £3 with wristband).

t Friday July 1 at Norwich Arts Centre: Fonda 500, Chris T-T, Cortez, Giant Robot and the City of Tokyo, Cruiser Chimps, Horses Brawl, Grand Prix '86, Alto 33.3, Rory McVicar (8-11pm, £5 advance).

t Saturday July 1 at Norwich Arts Centre: Timothy Victor, Roberte, Postalowa, The Rebeccas, Ashley Smith, Mochikolinksi (1.30-5pm, free).

Magoo, Lark, Los Planetos Del Agua, Le Tetsuo, Kaito (tbc), Lalia, Chihiro, Depoprovera, Gerry! Taylor (7.45-11.30pm, £5 advance).

t Sunday July 3 at The Marquee, Cattle Market Street: Hoofus, Kid Atom, The Paperchip Trio, Canadia, Dom (2.30-6pm, free)

Fun! Yeah!, Teknikov, The Bells The Bells, Tiger MCs (7.30-10.30pm, £4 door, £3 with wristband).