FROM a garage in Bitterne Park to the Joiners in St Mary's, this really was home from home for Southampton four-piece Delays.

All things considered, when you are playing in your garage it's a little harder to pack in 500 paying fans, let alone attract touts selling tickets at £30 a piece!

Proving scarves really can be worn in the sweatiest of crammed clubs, brothers Greg (vocals/guitar) and Aaron Gilbert (keyboards), Colin Fox (bass) and Rowly (drums) harmonised the hearts of their home-town support.

Signed last year by Rough Trade Records and on the back on their latest single, released last week, entitled Long time Coming, which has featured as record of the week on Radio One, the boys let rip in the intimate St Mary Street club.

Jingle-jangle guitars, underlying electronic pulses combined with Thom Yorke-esque delectable vocals from Greg Gilbert, Animal on the drums and a blend of Teenage Fan Club put Delays peering precariously at international stardom.

Fashion is fickle - good job really. This unfashionable band are set to be the coolest pop-rockers around.

Delays went straight in at number 16 in the Radio 1 charts last night, their highest entry with a single.