THE Leisure Society have swapped performances in unlikely setting of cathedrals around the UK for Clitheroe Grand.

One of the country’s most talked-about new bands, they head for a date in the Ribble Valley next Saturday.

The band had originally been lined up to appear last autumn before beeing asked to support Laura Marling, at her sell-out shows at venue s such as York Minster and Winchester Cathedral.

“I guess it was a bit too good an opportunity to turn down," said singer and songwriter Nick Hemming.

“It was an incredible experience, but also terrifying!”

“It was so different to anything we’ve ever done.”

The Leisure Society first came into the national consciousness after Nick was nominated for the prestigious Ivor Novello Award) for his song Last of the Melting Snow from the album The Sleeper This was despite a stop-start musical career that had its roots in a college band in his hometown of Burton-on-Trent.

Remarkably, the other members were British actor Paddy Considine and acclaimed film director Shane Meadows.

“If it hadn’t been for Shane I probably never would have become a professional musician — and I probably wouldn’t have had 10 years of misery,” laughs Nick.

“I was supposed to be going to university but Shane was an infectious personality and full of big ideas. I deferred for a year to be in the band, then another year, and then the band broke up. He wasn’t popular with my mother.”

Nick then played with The Telescopes until the band split and he spent time away from perfoming, instead composing for two Shane Meadows films.

By the mid 2000s, he hadn’t sung in front of anyone for years. Upon meeting old friend Christian Hardy — The Leisure Society’s other creative force — Nick’s passion for songwriting was reawakened. He joined Christian in London and before too long, the pair’s musical experiments began to bear fruit.

The Leisure Society has gone from strength to strength.

Last year’s highly acclaimed follow-up album Into The Murky Water earned them a string of festival appearances.

Now it’s a case of getting back on the road, headlining a UK tour in which Clitheroe is their only North West date.

“We’re looking forward to it,” added Nick.

“It’s a new place to play for most of us but our violin player’s grandma lives in Clitheroe!”

*The Leisure Society, supported by Dan Michaelson, perform at The Grand, Clitheroe, on Saturday, February 18. For details, contact the box office on 01200 421599.