EXCITING times at Chinnerys in Southend, and a viable Saturday night option for the indie kids in the area, with the opening of Club NME last Saturday (19th April) and with a lengthy list of bands booked for the next three months already...

Here's the deal: a fiver entry on the door, open 8.30pm until 2am, with a live set from an NME-endorsed band and Club NME DJs, plus giveaways, drinks promotions and doubtless other gimmicks and enticements.

The opening night was a stormer, boasting as it did a live appearance from Pete and The Pirates, whose debut album 'Little Death' is far and away the best indie album this year in my book This Saturday (26th) welcomes London electro punks Electric City to the club, with May occupied by Glasgow indie new wavers We Are The Physics, recent Razorlight support Cazals, Essex pop quartet Magistrates, soulful indie rockers The Thirst and on the 31st US funk-rock five-piece Cage The Elephant. Tickets for the latter are shifting in volume by all accounts, with punters apparently undeterred despite their musical style and name...

Anyhow, with a dearth of such attractions within spitting distance it's the best news in a while for the indie crowd, and offers something comparable to London venues but without the myriad drawbacks.

Check www.myspace.com/clubnmesouthend for the deets...