THE youngest band on the local gig circuit are back at the Black Bull this weekend, having made their first appearance at the Dalton pub in the spring. We caught up with the teenage rockers as they prepare to take the Furness scene by storm

How has your time at South Lakes Rock School helped you get ready for performing live?

Lois Miles, 17, guitar: "I've been at SLRS since I was about 12 or 13 and I'm 17 now so I've had a long time to get used to performing live with the shows that they put on. That really helped because I have a tendency to put my head down and go bright red but thankfully I've got over that."

Thomas Salt, 13, guitar: "I played my first ever live performance with SLRS and I have been building confidence since then."

Jake Byron, 14, drums: "I have been at SLRS for abut three years and I think it has really helped my confidence and ability to perform live."

Max Weaver, 15, bass: "I've been learning bass for 18 months and it's a great experience at SLRS. Being in a band is super fun - it improves your musical ability and confidence as well as testing you. You meet new people and feel part of a great thing.

Izzy Philipson, 13, vocals: "I've been at SLRS for three years. We do live shows and jam sessions, which have helped a lot."

How have the early gigs gone, and have the nerves settled?

L: "I think the early gigs have gone really well, we've always been lucky and had a really good response from the audience. I'm a little bit more chilled out now, probably because I've done it before."

M: "At our first gig I felt like my heart stopped a few times. So far the band has played three live gigs and appeared on a float in Ulverston Carnival."

I: "Playing gigs is nerve-wracking, but fun. Early gigs have gone OK and I don't really get nervous."

Have you all got similar influences or favourite bands?

L: "Yeah, a few of us are big Green Day fans, including me, but we all like a lot of the same music which makes choosing songs a little easier."

T: "I Think we are all influenced by bands of a pop-rock genre."

M: "Jake and I have very similar tastes - Iron Maiden, Green Day, System of A Down. We choose songs to play by all writing a list of five songs and looking for crossovers."

What are Among Giants' plans for the future?

L: "Short term-probably just getting on as we are at the moment and working through songs every week and adding to our set-lists. Long term-building our way up and hopefully getting enough songs together to do our own gigs in the future which will be great."

T: "At the moment we are supporting bands at local pubs and we are looking to perform elsewhere, like festivals."

M: "To keep practising weekly at The Cellar in Barrow and see how it goes."

I: "To have fun!"

Have you any plans to record?

L: "No, not yet but I think maybe as we progress I could probably see us doing our own stuffv which would be cool."

J: "We haven't written any songs yet but we might in the future."

How do you fit together as a band?

L: "We actually fit together really well considering we didn't know each other before we formed as a band. We've gotten to know each other at practices which has been nice, and I think liking a lot of the same music really helps as you have that all in common."

J: "We work together well and I think coming from South Lakes Rock School helped us get started."

M: "The band get on really well - we didn't know each other before, except me and Jake, but it has been a great confidence boost to learn this way."

I: "It has all come together really well - everyone is a similar age so we get on."

Among Giants perform at the St Mary's Hospice charity band night at the Black Bull, in Dalton, on Friday September 23, alongside Bo Dent, Danielle Macauley and Jonny Shields, Pete Mossop, Scott and Beth Paisley, Mike Macauley with Ace, Gary Salt and Flashback.