MELTDOWN: Polar Bear

Mega-haired drummer Seb Rochford leads out his Mercury-nominated post-jazz quintet for a free gig to open James Lavelle's Meltdown festival. Featuring ex-Loose Tubes saxophonist Mark Lockheart, tenor saxophonist Pete Wareham and 'anti-jazz' electronic injections and indie-rock guitar from Leafcutter John, Polar Bear have been the nucleus for a whole load of exciting jazz-crossover musical activity over the last few years, including Acoustic Ladyland and Wareham's brilliant Melt Yourself Down. Expect high octane jazz rock, fusion, ambient bliss and dirty grooves.