Rising indie stars The Mexanines are making a rare trip to Huddersfield to headline a mini-festival.

The Calderdale band, who are set to play on the NME stage at this year’s Live At Leeds festival, are top billing at the Big Jam Festival at Bar 1:22.

The gig next week comes as the six-piece enjoy a fantastic run of success, having supported the Pigeon Detectives and Reverend and the Makers in recent months.

While they are still unsigned, bass player Elliot Roper, said they were hoping 2014 could be a break through year and were delighted to have been handed a slot at Live At Leeds.

“We did it in 2012 at Nation of Shopkeepers, which was a really great gig as it was rammed,” he said.

“We didn’t do it last year, but this year we’ve applied and they gave us the Cockpit slot, so it should be good.

“It’s definitely one of our favourite venues to play.”

Originally a three-piece, the band was founded at Hipperholme and Lightcliffe school and went on to win a place at the Leeds Festival through the annual Centre Stage contest.

But it seems it’s no coincidence that their boost in fortunes has come since they added an extra three members.

Elliott said Pigeon Detectives frontman Matt Bowman had first seen them when they entered and won the Centre Stage competition as a three-piece.

But he said he had kept in touch with the band and been impressed by their new sound, subsequently inviting them to be main support on their UK tour.

Another high profile show followed last month when they supported Jon McClure’s band at Leeds Met.

Elliot said the move to bring in a saxophone player, keyboardist and extra guitarist had paid dividends.

“It made it probably more challenging than being a three piece, but it also opened up a lot of possibilities for us,” he said.

“It came about because we wrote some songs that we just thought would benefit from more musicians.

“We knew a saxophone player and he came and recorded with us and then we got a couple of other guys in and decided to make it permanent.”

The Mexanines will appear ahead of Circa Waves and Drenge at Live at Leeds on May 3, but before then they are looking forward to being the main attraction at the Big Jam Festival on Saturday, April 5.

Elliott said: “We don’t tend to play Huddersfield very often but we seem to have really good gigs when we do.

“These next six months you’ll see a lot of us hopefully.”

The new event at Bar 1:22 has been curated by Greenhead College student Danny Sharp.

The 17-year-old music fan and frontman of Dead End Friends, said he was keen to raise the profile of raw talent in town.

He said: “There’s a growing rock and indie scene in Huddersfield so I have organised the festival in order to showcase the scene and spread the word.

“I wanted to give young musicians from local bands a platform on which to perform, and some recognition.”

Along with his own band, others set to perform are Cafune, Hiding From Olive, The White Wolves, Yugen and The Kriptons.

The event is open to 16+ but ID will be required at the bar.

Doors 5pm. Tickets £5.

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