MUSICIANS of an up-and-coming rock group are keeping a tight grip of their four-leaf clovers as they prepare for a battle of the bands.

Blue Chevron, which includes 19-year-old James Donnelly, of Little Lever, has won a place in this year's Young Gifted and Green Unsigned 2004 - part of the Manchester Irish Festival.

The five-piece group will play in the first heat of the contest at The Palace Nightclub in Levenshulme, Manchester, on Friday, February 6.

The competition - one of the biggest for bands with Irish roots - aims to provide a showcase for unsigned acts.

And Blue Chevron, which has already had a number one in a leading UK unsigned bands chart, hopes it will be on the route to stardom. Previous winners include metal band Dr Rinse, which has since signed a deal with the management team of Wigan group Starsailor.

Mr Donnelly's band met at Holy Cross College, in Manchester Road, Bury. The other band members are lead vocalist Danny Murphy, aged 19, and bass player Joe Courtney, aged 18, both of Prestwich; guitarist Pete Sutherland, aged 18, of Bury, and drummer Abbi Phillips, aged 16, of Whitefield.

Mr Donnelly said: "We think we should win this competition because we are the most original and adventurous unsigned band around with a diverse style which is emphasised by our songs falling into many different genres like indie, punk and reggae.

"We hope it would lead to us getting more recognition."

Tickets for the event are £3 each. Further heats take place on February 13 and 20, with the final on March 19. Manchester Irish Festival is the biggest of its kind in Europe.