UP-AND-COMING four-piece Jobe hope to draw attention to their talents over the coming months as they line up a series of gigs -- including one at the venue where U2 and Nick Cave played when they started out.

Things finally seem to be coming together for the band, who traded in almost certain fame last year by ditching their management and record company in a bid to hang on to their artistic independence.

But now the Ribble Valley-based group are set to take their sound -- reminiscent of REM -- are lining up several gigs in Manchester and one in London.

They return to the Roadhouse in Manchester -- where they have already supported Terris -- on Friday, August 10.

The difference this time is that they are the headliners.

Before that, a short acoustic set beckons at the Night and Day venue, also in Manchester, on Monday, followed by one at the Witchwood.

But the one the band are looking forward too is on September 20 when they appear at the Half Moon in London, a venue which welcomed the likes of U2 and Nick Cave in their early days. Rob Williams, from Jobe, said: "Things are going really well for us now.

"We have spent the last year working on material and we think it is coming together for us now.

"Headlining a weekend night at the Roadhouse is an excellent achievement for us and we are excited about performing at the Half Moon as well.

"It has an excellent reputation for up-and-coming talent which is why we are delighted to be there.

"We are really pleased we have got this gig because it was big step for us when we decided to get out of our contract with Yellabelly." The group signed a deal with Yellabelly Records last year but wriggled out of it when they were asked to release demo tapes they weren't happy with.

They also turned their back on a deal with Paul Ellis Macey Management, who have dealt with the likes of Travis, Lighthouse Family and Brand New Heavies -- all so they could retain their artistic independence.

Since then the group, made of musicians from Mellor and Clitheroe, have been busy in Suite 16, Rochdale, working on tracks engineered by Anthony Barrett, who has worked with New Order and Monaco and discovered the Milltown Brothers.

They unveiled their new style at a gig in Blackburn last year.