FIVE attractive girls belting out classic punk and new wave songs as though there is no tomorrow, what more could you ask for?

The Dolls have been gigging for less than a year but are already creating something of a stir.

But is it a gimmick or are they the real deal?

To be honest, it's a bit of both. There is an almost cartoon-like element to the show - certainly the look of the band fulfills most teenage boys' (and profusely sweating middle-aged men judging by the Blackburn audience) fantasies.

But at the heart of it all is a raw energy and no little musical skill which makes them a real band playing real music - and playing it very well.

The band is fronted by a Nancy Doll, a human firework, who leaps around with such vigour, it's almost exhausting to watch.

This girl's got real charisma but hecklers beware. Several well-imbibed members of the audience tried to make what they thought were funny comments - and were verbally demolished by this one-woman wrecking ball.

Behind her lies a tight and very heavy band - the drummer Anna Key (geddit?) is a genuine powerhouse belying her model girl appearance.

The set rattled through everything from Sex Pistols and Clash covers to Martha and the Muffins, Tenpole Tudor, Adam and the Ants and even Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

The show deserved a bigger audience - it didn't help that several well lubricated gentlemen at an age they should know better were escorted off the premises - and that was during the support act!

It was a refreshing chance to hear so many good songs performed with energy and enjoyment. The Dolls would go down great at a festival and are well worth catching - just don't go down the front. It can get pretty 'lively' down there.