Alternative experimental rock band, The Longest Day came away victorious from the Dorset Music Awards last night. As the final act, after a crowd-pleasing performance from Disco's Out (Murder's In), the foursome had a lot to live up to, but their emotionally-charged, brooding rock, easily won over the crowd.

If there was a prize for 'who wanted it the most', at these finals, in the grand De Vere Suite of the Royal Bath Hotel, this too, would have been The Longest Day. The passion displayed throughout the set - from the head-banging of bassist Ross Thompson, to the torment and angst in the long, high notes of lead singer Dan Henry (who has a look of him of a young Damon Alburn) - created a sound, that judge Jon Webster, founder of the Mercury Music Awards, said 'raised the hairs on the back of my neck.'

The Longest Day went away with a whole package of prizes including £1,000 worth of equipment from Absolute Music Solutions, a photoshoot and 500 CDs to be made of their not-yet-released album.

Also victorious at the Dorset Music Awards, were Disco's Out (Murder's In), whose tongue-in-cheek, feel-good brass ensemble, dressed in comedy outfits and flying paper planes off the stage, got the crowd dancing. Unsurprisingly, they were chosen by the festival-booker judges representing the Larmer Tree, Endorset It, Camp Bestival and Shambala, although it was also noted that The Longest Day and singer songwriter Sarah Griffin 'had the most commercial potential for 2010'.

It's fair to say that every band that played at the Dorset Music Awards final was outstanding; each with their own sound and material representing a different genre to the last. It was great to see them competing, yet still rocking to each other's music, with Lady Winwood's Maggot proving to be a real all-round crowd-pleaser. Compere Trevor Hill, who co-organises the event with Richard Stannard of Devil's Music, was excellent at drumming up support for the bands at the Royal Bath Hotel - surely one of Bournemouth's best-kept secrets for gigs!

Well done to all the bands, and to the organisors. Bring on DMA 2011!

For more details of the Dorset Music Awards, log on to www.dorsetmusicawards.co.uk