Courage play Leeds Festival

Sharing a bill with acts such as Muse, Pulp and The Strokes is a daunting task for any band, let alone a group of Guernsey lads fresh out of university.

Enter CourageHaveCourage, the most talented bunch of lads to leave our island since the Green Lions hopped over the pond to give Cobham and Fimley Green a walloping.

Battling Enter Shikari for the punters amid the rain probably wasn't the Guernsey-born five-piece's ideal scenario.

However, the bad weather worked in their favour as the BBC Introducing Stage, which the band were playing, has the unique feature of a lip on top which shields punters from the elements.

Typical British summer weather combined with early coverage from Kerrang magazine meant that people were drawn to the stage, either to check the band out or to get out of the downpour drenching the site.

The gathering in front could not even be compared with that at other stages.

But you have to bear in mind the fact that most bands at this point in their career are usually supported by friends and passers-by. And little else.

The size of the crowd which gathered at Leeds for the pop-punkers had to be applauded.

As with all the acts playing on the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds, the set was to be short, restricted to only three songs.

So with only seven songs recorded, the choice wasn't too difficult for the band, who picked out the obvious highlights of their, as yet, unreleased EP.

The track All Night Long, which has recently popped up on YouTube (see below), can be pulled out as the highlight of the set, though.

With catchy lyrics, edgy guitars and a signature pop-punk drum beat, it has everything it needs to be the local boys' first hit.

Frontman Luke Vidamour had the small crowd bouncing from the off, with his infectiously upbeat attitude.

There wasn't a face without a smile on it by the end of their 12-minute spot.

The set was an unbridled success for the band.

So what next?

Chart acts including Tinie Tempah, Ellie Goulding and Ed Sheeran have all graced the BBC Introducing stage at one point in their career – look where they are now.

It's certain to say that as a platform for moving on, CourageHaveCourage's brief set at Leeds Festival was a great advert for them.

Let's just hope that when these guys do hit the big time – which looks more and more likely – you can say that either at Leeds, Reading or the Guernsey Festival of Performing Arts you were there.

I know I'll be shouting it from the rooftops.