Business Booming as Pimp Expands Selection

WITH a live sound fatter than a set of white-wall tyres on a Cadillac El Dorado, and a biography that sounds taller than a KAREEM ABDUL JABAR with afro, Newcastle funky white hipsters PIMP have got it going on in the songs department. Newest additions to the distinctive set include some new JACKSON FIVE and some purplish BOZ SCAGGS toons. The band features ANDY WALLACE, NICK CECIRE, DARYL ABERHART, IAN DUNN and MARK JOHNSON. ZOO BOMBS: TOKYO four-piece THE ZOOBOMBS will meld 1970s rock'n'roll with an electro hip hop vibe tomorrow night at the University of Newcastle, supporting REGURGITATOR, 28 DAYS, MOTORACE and more. The band emerged in 1994, their name derived from 'zubon' the Japanese word for trousers. EMI has released the single TIGHTEN RAP in Australia, from the impending Australian debut FREAK BOMB. WHOSE SHOUT: TWO bands are getting together tonight at SJ'S Hotel in Beaumont St, Hamilton, in the hope of getting enough of a crowd to be able to rub two coins together so that someone can afford the first shout. The name of the first band is ONE DOLLAR SHORT. The other? OPERATION LAGER! Catch the same line-up again tomorrow night at Maitland's Clubhouse Hotel.

BAND COMP: ALSO at SJ's Hotel next month is the third annual XPOZAY band competition for 2000, which has grown richer and more hotly contested, with the news that this year more than $20,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs. The good news for punters is that the quality of bands likely to be drawn into the competition with such an attractive purse is pretty much guaranteed to be the best ever.

THE JETS: EXPLORE the uncharted entertainment territories of Maitland's Clubhouse Hotel, now extensively renovated and better than ever. June at The Clubhouse sees a line up of SEGRESSION (June 8), TEST EAGLES (June 15), LITTLE HORNET (June 16), the SCREAMING JETS (June 20) and direct from THE FOOTY SHOW, THE NEVILLES (June 30).

SING ALONG: IF you've got a song in your heart, then let it out this Saturday night at The Cambridge Hotel, where there will be $100 up for grabs for the person with the best set of lungs. As well as karaoke, you can also catch three of the hippest original bands around town, NUBRIUM, UNDERSIDED and CUTAWAY, doing their thing in the palatial back bar. Cutaway has quite a fine CD available for sale at the gig.