BY MARK MCKELVEY

m.mckelvey@ulsterherald.com

The UlsterHerald is organising a charity concert in aid of stricken Omagh tot, Billy Caldwell who is travelling to Chicago next month for life-saving treatment.

It is going to cost £250,000 for Billy's treatment and to help fund the trip, the newspaper has gathered together the best of local musical talent for a special charity concert that will be held in the INF in Omagh on Thursday, August 30, with a mixture of Omagh and Strabane's finest taking to the stage from 9.30pm.

The night will kick off with the peerless Dirty Blues Band, a unique Omagh six-piece that have to be seen to truly appreciate their special blend of folk and blues.

The well known and loved Omagh rock bands Colenso Parade and Freerider will be playing their long list of original classics at this special charity night and will be joined by the best alternative band to ever come out of Strabane, the mighty King Coma.

If the musical entertainment wasn't enough, there will also be a very special opportunity for one lucky soul to be crowned the official Air Guitar Champion of Omagh.

All you have to do is pay the entry fee on the night and show the panel of judges what you can do in 15 seconds. So between now and then get out some AC/DC and Led Zeppelin albums and start honing those guitar moves.

Tickets can be purchased from the UlsterHerald office in John Street costing £8 or alternatively you can pay £10 on the door from 9pm. All proceeds go to the Billy's Ray of Hope Fund.

For more information about Billy's fight for life visit www.billysrayofhope.com

To listen to the bands before the event visit www.myspace.com/freeriderrockband, www.myspace.com/colensoparade and www.myspace.com/kingcoma.