IT’S their biggest gig to date, and they’ve chosen to debut a new line-up.

But Vardo and the Boss couldn’t be happier with the start of a new era in the group’s history, especially as the gig in question is the final of a national band competition.

Taking place at Marshall Amplifications HQ Theatre in Milton Keynes, the band are one of seven groups taking part in the MMG UK Battle of the Bands competition, following a number of regional heats which involved more than 600 acts.

Prizes for the winners include recording time and equipment.

Beyond this development agencies, booking agents and record label AR will be watching looking for what they think may be the next big thing.

“It’s a massive deal for us,” keyboardist Lauren Francis says. “The fact it’s just us and a few other bands playing in front of these amazing industry people, you never know where it’s going to lead.

Bass player Nick Johnson adds: “We’re booking a coach for our friends and family and anyone else who wants to come. “It’s going to be £20, but we’re going to include our Gorillaz EP and a special warm-up party, and obviously that includes the coach up there and entry to the event itself, which is going to be massive.”

Along with Lauren and Nick, the band are now made up of Laura Wyatt (vocals, guitar); Liam Hooker, who was on drums, but has now moved to guitar, and the group’s newest member, Isaac Reeve, on drums.

He only joined a matter of weeks ago after posting on Facebook about not being in a band.

He says: “Nick and I went to college together at the Colchester Institute about four years ago, but when everything finished, we didn’t see each other for a while.

Nick interrupts: “And then it came up on Facebook he was moaning about not being in a band and he was missing drumming, so I asked him along to a practice.

“Liam has wanted to be on the guitar for a while and now he is. “Liam and Laura are really able to bounce off each other musically.”

“It’s been really cool,” Laura agrees. “He comes up with the guitar parts for the more rockier songs and we can also do some great guitar harmonies which has been exciting.”

As well as this month’s competition to look forward, the band are looking to do a lot more gigs with the new line-up.

Lauren says: “We’ve booked up some more in London and the plan is to start recording a new album in May. We have definitely got enough material for it.”

“We don’t want to force it,” Nick adds, “because we have only just got the new line-up together but because it’s going so well there is that enthusiasm to get some of the new tracks down quickly.”

Anyone interested in attending the MMG Final should go online at www.vardoandtheboss.bigcartel.com