FROM the Adelphi to America - that's the route being taken by Preston band Treehouse 3 as they attempt to crack the big time.

The unsigned band's quest for a record deal has taken them to Manhattan this week, where they have been playing a few gigs at the invitation of New York-based Atlantic Records.

And the group could be celebrating their big break when the shows are over, with record label bosses, booking agents and representatives from music stations such as MTV and VH-1 thought to be interested.

But regardless of how far along the road to stardom their Stateside trip takes them, the group's members have vowed to enjoy themselves - and to remember their Preston roots.

So Treehouse 3 played a special send-off gig at the town's Adelphi pub on Saturday (July 31) to say goodbye to their local fans before jetting off to the States.

And the band hope to play more Preston gigs on returning to this country.

Singer Seamus McLoughlin said: "We have been sending out copies of our album to record companies for some time now, but unfortunately the response so far has been disappointing.

"So we started to send CDs to some American labels, and managed to get a reply from Atlantic Records, who invited us over to play some shows in Manhattan.

"We are also doing some recording while we're there with an engineer who has worked with people such as Madonna, Bjork and more recently the Fugees.

"The recording is being done for two reasons. They want to press a single and gather a press package to send out to the radio stations, and it gives us the chance to put down some of our new material so they can listen to it more closely.

"I definitely see this as our biggest chance yet to progress further with the band, but we are not getting too excited about this.

"Sure, we are going to New York, but I think it's important to keep level-headed about it all and not get too hopeful. After all, we're just another band treading a well-worn path."

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