Thankfully, the four good-looking 20-somethings who make up Aisle 16 aren't the result of Simon Cowell's latest "brainstorming" afternoon at Spearmint Rhino.

Rather, Luke Wright, Chris Hicks, Ross Sutherland and Joel Stickley are stool-sitting, linen-wearing dreamboats selling you an evening of poetry.

"The show is about what an awful thing a poetry boy band would be," says Luke. "There's been thousands of years of spoken word but you can imagine someone saying, 'Guys, to sell it we need to give poetry a facelift.'

"Of course, we're sending ourselves up, because that's also what we're doing - dressing things up a bit to get people to listen. In fact, one critic likened us to a boyband a few years ago, so this is our way of reclaiming the title."

Each poem recited by the heart-throbs, either as a solo piece or accapella ensemble, will be introduced by a mini lecture, complete with plasma screen graphics and laser beams.

From the unrequited love of Alastair Campbell to the group's mission to Make Poetry History, the show takes a knowing swipe at modern culture. It has won them a Time Out Critic's Choice Award for their troubles.

"A lot of what we do is funny," says Luke. "The whole thing is styled and set up in a very boy-bandy way, but the actual content is much more about language and attitudes.

"It doesn't take itself too seriously, but hopefully it communicates some serious things."

A rhyming stand-off between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, an ode to fad culture entitled Embrace The W*** and dance moves that would make Jason Orange blush can all be expected.

"The dancing took us hours to learn and we were absolutely useless at first.

Now we're rather slick - it's definitely one of my highlights."

Unusually for boy bands, Aisle 16 have been together for six years. They began when Luke, then an undergraduate at the University of East Anglia, began a poetry club in what he describes as "a communist theme pub". Joel and Ross soon joined and the group started to perform in public.

PowerPoint, a wry look at the world of business which the group liken to "Wordsworth on the Enron payroll", premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004, and earned the group their first Time Out Award.

Now they play all manner of festivals, from the genteel splendour of Hay-On-Wye, to the less refined inroads of Glastonbury's Cabaret Tent - and the awards just keep coming.

On his own, Luke has performed alongside Eddie Izzard and Pete Townshend and is soon to become Jenny Eclair's resident poet on her new LBC show. Not bad for a 24 year old.

As for Aisle 16? When the hoard of screaming fans has gone away, the group plan to do a tour of Britain's service stations, and have an "ideal home show" planned for September.

"A lot of people who come to see us are taking a risk," concedes Luke, "but people need to take a risk. There's nothing out there like us."

Starts 8pm. Tickets cost £7.50 and £5. Call 01273 709709.