FORMER Inspiral Carpet Tim Hingley plays Pulsars in Caerphilly next week. The venue, which has recently started nights of live music, hosts the Manchester star, on March 17.

Hingley played an important part of the 'baggy' scene, over ten years ago, and is now writing, recording and performing as a solo acoustic performer in Cardiff.

This month sees the release of his new single, Happiness, on the South Wales based label, FF Vinyl, which is also home to the likes of Rocketgoldstar and Amy Wadge.

Unfortunately, any musicality Hingley may have had in the Inspiral Carpets left him with the swirling Hammond organ and wah wah guitar that characterised that band.

Without the pop trimmings Hingley's voice croaks beside an equally unhappy sounding guitar, which leaves the support act Christopher Rees to provide the evening's musical entertainment.

Rees, also releasing records on FF Vinyl, had a well-deserved boost last year when he got to support his hero John Cale in St David's Hall, Cardiff.

Another acoustic singer-songwriter, Rees performs with or without a backing band of locally based musicians. Without, expect a night of introspection and misery, but with, the vocals fall back allowing a great band to star.

Underlings Lear open the show in Pulsars with their dependable Valleys rock that is somewhere between the Stereophonics and the Manic Street Preachers. A band of some standing, Lear have been playing pub rock for so long, no one turns in a three chord wonder like they do.

Tom Hingley, Christopher Rees and Lear play Pulsars, Caerphilly on March 17. Surf to www.tomhingley.co.uk, www.ffvinyl.co.ukor www.learworld.co.uk or dial (029) 2086 0490 for more information.