City University London's bandstand hustle

Two former City University students are transforming Northampton Square from a dilapidated shelter to a magical arena of acoustic music.

Tom Muirhead and Padraic Halpin, who both studied international journalism at City, stumbled across their idea of videoing bands playing in the bandstand by complete accident.

"The idea first came about we began making podcasts in the University studio, even though we'd finished our year of study, we still knew the door codes and would sneak in and record bands every week," said Muirhead. "But then one week we snuck a band into the building only to find the studio had been torn down to be renovated. We stood there a bit lost in terms of what to do, but ended up wandering onto the bandstand in Northampton Square and recording it live there."

Instead of just recording it they began videoing the whole thing. It didn't take them long to found www.bandstandbusking.com, a voluntary group of music enthusiasts who now film all over London and put the finished videos online. To date, there are 21 bandstands in London, but Northampton Square is still their favourite spot.

Whether they're a seven piece symphonic rock band, or an acoustic folk duo, each act is asked to "bandstand busk" using just acoustic instruments and stripped down percussion. The wide spectrum of musicians who have showcased their talent in the past include Of Montreal, Laura Groves, Psapp, Nat Johnson, Asobi Seksu, and Broadcast 2000.

We're not talking local garage bands here. The standard is high, the sound varied and it can all be watched on the website. However, watching all this play out live at a bandstand somewhere in London on a sedate Sunday afternoon is, as you might imagine, a very original experience.

The music comes to a dignified and improvised crescendo. Families return whence they came, students stumble back to halls, and enthusiastic police officers congratulate young punks and hip hop musicians. As I head away from the square, even the site of the ugly university buildings and the thought of Monday morning lectures fail to dampen my spirits.