CityLife

Pepsi Silver Clef Concert @ M.E.N. Arena

POP fans had a real treat as a "best of British" line-up of chart acts stormed on stage at the Manchester Evening News Arena for a fundraising spectacular.

Blue, Atomic Kitten, Craig David , Girls Aloud, Mis-Teeq, Big Brovaz and Busted were just some of the groups to perform last night at the first ever Pepsi Silver Clef Concert in aid of Nordoff-Robbins, a charity that helps people from all walks of life to overcome physical and mental disabilities through music.

The concert launched a é1m appeal to finance the charity's work. Manchester is a possible location for a Nordoff-Robbins unit for the north west of England.

Kicking off the three-hour pop orgy were schoolboy rockers Busted, followed closely by the super slinky garage trio Mis-Teeq.

Javine Hylton, who lost out to Stockport's Sarah Harding for a place in Girls Aloud, made her stage debut and the hosts for the evening included DJs from Key 103 and cheeky Bolton lad Vernon Kay.

The line-up of pin-ups and pretty boys was enough to draw a capacity crowd with an average age somewhere around 12. Screams, whistles, bunny ears, sparkly Stetsons and flashing sticks were compulsory.

The most bizarre sight of the evening was of Liberty X's Michelle Heaton who, apart from looking like she'd been Tango-d, used a crutch as a prop during the number one hit Just a Little.

The scantily clad celebrity explained that she'd hurt herself during a football match but, regardless of her injury, she soldiered on through several numbers.

Eyebrows

And tabloid favourites Girls Aloud also raised eyebrows - by appearing fully clothed on stage.

"Go out and buy the new record," thundered Geordie lass Cheryl Tweedy.

Someone should have told Emma Bunton though that sauce and success don't always go hand in hand.

The former Spice Girl desperately tried to shed her baby image by flashing her impressive legs and cleavage, a sight that was wasted on a predominantly female audience, but nothing could disguise the watery vocals and tunelessness of her new single.

Predictably the biggest screams of the night were reserved for Blue, who whipped up a frenzy with the merest hint of their name.

The boys duly trotted out their greatest hits before being joined by most of their co-stars for a painful rendition of the Bob Marley classic One Love.

It was a fun enough evening if you were, in the words of Vernon Kay, prepared to put your brain to one side and don your diddy boppers.

What did you think of the show? Submit a review below and check out the backstage gossip.