BBC Maida Vale Live Session: Over the years The Vibe has travelled the length of the county in search of musical goodness, ramblings from band members and even an argument with a certain American from Taking Back Sunday about British food.

However, last week we did something pretty special. The Vibe travelled down to a small city called London to go to the rather swanky (and legendary) BBC Maida Vale Studios to hear Fighting With Wire and Alan MX record a special BBC live session for Radio 1. Here is the story of what went on.

So us country folk' hear rumours about London - you know the sort I mean, where anyone can go down to the big city, take up a job as a waiter or waitress to support their failing acting career before eventually giving up on that dream only to end up a bitter, middle-aged cosmopolitan type, who walks the streets very quickly and lets every little hazard cause them a large degree of rage. Well, it turns out that there is a lot of that, but they also have other stuff there too! After having to pay to use the train station toilet (shocking), walking into a barrier and looking generally scared and very lost, I was escorted by my tour guide across London on the underground with my day pass in hand to Maida Vale.

Once we found the studio we got our passes and headed inside. Now let me tell you about this studio and what they do.

Basically it's a huge building with a ground level where the BBC do all of their graphics and editing for television, and then there is a huge underground level that has some big studios built in.

As we walked round the maze-like corridors we wandered by a symphony orchestra in full flow, recording for a film. We saw countless security people looking tough, and then after nearly walking into a few other studios, we arrived at "Studio 4".

So Studio 4 is made up of a big control room with a huge sound desk and some intense looking blokes. Next to that is a big room, with a floor space for the band to play and an upstairs balcony with BBC (and therefore licence payer-funded) refreshments.

Now before you get all "typical we have to pay £131 for our TV and they spend the money on refreshments that I'll never get near", let me just assure you that I did indeed get my money's worth, and probably yours too!

The session began with Alan MX playing a great set (check him out, www.myspace.com/alanMX) to me, my tour guide and around 15 onlookers made up of BBC presenters and record label types. After Mr MX had finished, the main act Fighting With Wire came on to record a set.

Fighting With Wire played five songs from their new album Man vs Monster'' and nailed every single note. After every song we gave a "radio cheer" which is apparently the term used when one cheers rather boisterously for the benefit of a radio recording.

After the show I just did a bit of mingling (as you do) and pretended I was far more important that I am by dropping in "London-up-and-coming-music-business-type" phrases such as "yeah the white noise is hectic" and "the acoustics in here are great really great".

Anyway, mingling successfully done, I headed to the door, but not before having a few more licence payer-funded refreshmentsbut wait, something caught my eye!

The door on the way out had loads of famous bands written on it - sort of a tradition if you play a Maida Vale to write your band's name on the door, and who should I see written at the top in bold black lettering but "One Night Only''.

Back through the maze I went, out of the door, back into London, on to a sweaty tube train, out of that, on to a not so sweaty train back to Malton, job done. Go and check out Fighting With Wire on www.myspace.com/FightingWithWire

The Vibe recommends

Top five albums to check out (all of these are available in the shops, but your best bet is Amazon for Zeroscape).

Fighting With Wire - Man vs Monster (album) For fans of modern British rock (Hundred Reasons, Reuben, Biffy Clyro) as well as the likes of the Foo Fighters.

65Daysofstatic - Dancies Parties (EP) For people who like something a bit more in their music, almost entirely instrumental and as frantic as ever.

Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song (album) This is for people of all ages who want a song that means something and for people who want something easy listening. Acoustic/folk style.

Ludovico Einaudi - Echoes (album) For people who want to listen to something that doesn't have a guitar in sight, just a piano and a cello. Come on kids, open those ears to something new.

Zeroscape - And If This Is The End I Will (album) The legends that are Zeroscape in all of their metal glory. For anybody who loves metal or has seen these Canadians perform in Malton.