Tim Hornsby, talent-spotting manager of Fibbers, issues his New Year report on the health of the York music scene.

I haven't felt particularly inspired to write a yearly review for quite some years but this time it needed doing.

At the start of 2005, the local scene has not been in such good shape for a long time so don't listen to those who say there's nothing happening - they're just not looking.

Look at the sweeping prog rock landscapes of Europe-conquering Mostly Autumn; the similarly near-global touring of the utterly fantastic At The Drive In/Placebo chic rockers Colour Of Fire; the rootsy Stones/Buffalo Springfield of Chris Helme's newly-signed The Yards; and the deafening super-tight hardcore rap/metal of RSJ. The rock press quite rightly loves Beyond All Reason and even bad boy Dan Lucas aka GT Turbo has relocated his coffin country anthems from The Smoke to the Stonebow (the home of Fibbers).

Ex-Yorkie Sam Forrest relocated to Manchester and looks like he has invented the band of 2005 in Nine Black Alps, one of the Independent's Five Tips for 2005. Similarly, Fibbers regulars will recall the irrepressible Abz Marshall whose management skills are propelling Bullet For My Valentine into the charts.

Pushing through are the deliciously shambolic and very English trio Cardboard Radio. Marrying Buckleyesque vocals to complex and thoughtful indie with a groove are Black Night Crash; and with a sound unlike anything else from York, the bravest musical decisions may have been made by trio Sixty6. Led by Mikey Wilson, they dare to write heartfelt USA college rock anthems married to a deafening wall of guitar a la Feeder and Longview. And they don't spare the hair gel, either.

Meanwhile, The Stanleys have nurtured a rough-and-tumble set punctuated by beautiful ballads that John Power would be proud of. With Bunnymen echoes Red:Shift continue to enthral me and I've not even mentioned Delta Volts, Customer 1000 or Dust Bowl Central yet.

On the solo front, Hayley Hutchinson has been getting Radio2 airplay from Terry Wogan, who helped break Katie Melua and Eva Cassidy. Fingers crossed. I also liked the engaging Tom Euesden, Thom Mills and Andy Curry, all loaded with great songs.

Here's to another year of drink and deafness ...

Updated: 15:55 Thursday, January 06, 2005