Although they hail from further along the A40, Gloucester-based sno-core trio Strain have several connections with our fair city, writes Pookie Hudson.

They are sponsored by the Cowley Road's snow and skate board shop SS20 and Strain's bassist, Ash, is a member of SS20's snow board team.

And, on the odd occasion, Ash can be found helping out behind the counter in the shop.

Formed back in 1994, Strain have released three singles and an album No Buts or Lugs through the tiny independent label Springboard Records.

Strain's brand of speed-pop is fast and frenetic, powerful, yet melodic. The musical equivalent of hurtling down a mountain on a snow board in fact. Although they've received rave reviews in all kinds of music publications from NME to Kerrang! Strain have not, as yet, managed to break into the mainstream.

However, the band has recently hooked up with Internet music providers Popwire.com and took the number one spot on Steve Lamacq's MP3 Chart. Dave Ganner, Strain's singer, songwriter and guitarist commented: "The Lamacq thing came out of the blue. It shows just what the Net can do for a band. The Internet is a great way of bypassing all the risk-shy career builders in the industry and getting directly to an audience. It feels like we might finally have found a way round the wall that keeps good music out of the limelight."

It's been a while since Strain played Oxford, but tonight they return to head a four-band line-up at The Kooler at The Bullingdon in the Cowley Road.