Thursday July 17th saw the grand final of BBC Wiltshire's Battle of the Bands 2003.

Melksham band Nishe were this year's winners.

Read our review and visit the multimedia section.

Following the huge success of BBC Wiltshire's first Battle of the Bands event in 2002 there was always some doubt as to whether this year's contest could possibly match it.

However, all fears were soon dispelled as half an hour before The Furnace opened, a huge, excited crowd began massing outside the venue.

Just after 9.00pm, the contest got off to an explosive start as Cricklade's Any Day Now hit the stage. This was only the young emo rockers fourth ever gig but they effortlessly whipped up the already sizeable moshpit into a frenzy.

Rob Barrow from Any Day Now

Dreadlocked frontman Rob Barrow displayed all the makings of an alt-rock star of the future as he jumped around the stage and into the crowd before scaling the PA speakers.

Given they are such a new band it was impressive to hear the crowd enthusiastically singing along to the "You say I've no compassion…" refrain from the final song of their set - 'Distant You'.

Broken Daylight from Swindon were up next and showed how far they've come since playing last year's final when they were still the three-piece, Origin.

Broken Daylight's Jon Trowbridge and Freddie Lewis

The addition of string-slapping bass man Freddie Lewis has bolstered their increasingly grungier sound and despite being unwell, trilby-sporting singer/guitarist Jon Trowbridge delivered a characteristically solid performance.

Swindon skate punkers Buzztone had been widely tipped to walk away with the top prize this year. It's clear that few unsigned local acts can rival them in dishing out tight, fast, hook-laden punk songs.

Buzztone's Simon Hall

Their polished material also went down well with the bouncing moshpit who were still chanting their name after the band left the stage.

At the halfway mark it was obvious that the judges were going to have a very tough job deciding on the winner.

For the second year running BBC Wiltshire website visitors had voted the cream of the county's unsigned bands into the final.

Perhaps it was due to the sense of occasion or the high stakes involved, but it is arguable that anyone had seen The Furnace so packed or felt such an electric atmosphere for a local band gig in years.

The 400-strong capacity crowd must have counted their blessings in arriving at the gig early as word soon spread that the venue was full and hordes of disappointed people outside were being turned away.

Compére Kelly Stooke from BBC Radio Wiltshire amusingly introduced the fourth band on the bill with the vaguest hint of trepidation.

Understandably so as the brooding down-tuned menace of Swindon metal outfit Jahsoma soon re-ignited the slamming pit with their angry Deftones-influenced sound.

Jahsoma frontman Shem Watson

The band's outstanding performance drove the crowd wild with their brutally heavy songs such as 'Pavlovian' and 'Positively Negative Image'.

Korea from Trowbridge were next up and were always going to be at a disadvantage in following the most extreme band on the bill. It also didn't help that they were clearly unrehearsed.

Steve Weller from Korea

Beset with sound problems and a generally disinterested audience their sloppy brand of avant-garde rock ultimately failed to make an impression.

Despite the best efforts of vocalist Steve Weller and the loyal support of their modest fanbase, it just wasn't to be their gig.

Sixth and final act of the night - self-styled 'post hardcore' purveyors Nishe of Melksham were probably the band with the most to prove this year.

Along with Broken Daylight, they too made it to the final in 2002, but would be the first to admit that their performance then hardly ranked as memorable.

This year was a different matter.

Armed with new songs, attitude and confidence they were a band reborn. Frontman Trigger and guitarist Paul Columb shared vocal duties on songs showcasing their new, more melodic direction reminiscent of Placebo and Hundred Reasons.

The heaving throng at the front of the stage made the most of the last moshpit of the night.

At just after midnight Nishe left the stage and the crowd began buzzing in anticipation of the judge's verdict.

After an interminably long 10 minutes, one quarter of the judge's panel - Mick Jogger loped onto the stage. After a teasing build up where he reiterated how difficult it was for them to reach their decision, he finally revealed 'Wiltshire's Band of the Year 2003' to be.... Nishe.

Nishe's John Columb accepts their winning prize from judge Mick Jogger

The underdogs from last year's contest had returned reinvigorated to take the first prize of £500 worth of musical equipment supplied by Swindon's Holmes Music shop.

However, no one went home empty-handed as each of the five runners-up were given a Holmes Music 'goodie bag' containing guitar strings, drum sticks, plectrums and other freebies.

The second BBC Wiltshire Battle of the Bands contest has consolidated the fact that the county is a hotbed of musical talent. Fast becoming one of the biggest annual events of its kind in the area, next year's contest is a certainty.

BBC Wiltshire would like to thank The Furnace nightclub, the Swindon Evening Advertiser, Holmes Music, the audience, judges and most importantly the bands this year for all contributing to ensure BBC Wiltshire's Battle of the Bands 2003 was an unforgettable night of local live music.

Click here to visit our Battle of the Bands 2003 Multimedia section where you will find a gallery of images plus video and audio clips from the event.