TONIGHT The Zutons play their home town of Liverpool. All you have to do is have the quickest word with singer Dave McCabe to realise that they are looking forward to it. So much so that the group, who are the latest hotly-tipped band to come from the city, are slightly annoyed that they are only playing a small venue. The concert is on at the third and smallest room of Liverpool University. Dave says: "We played in front of 700 people in London recently and we think that, if you are going to be able to do that, there then you should be able to do similar in Liverpool. "It's that step from 300 to 500 people that is the big thing at the moment." The group are part of the wave of bands from the area currently sweeping across the country beating the insular nature of the Liverpool music scene over the last five years. Now it is where the fans are looking to for the future of guitar music. The Zutons were recently chosen as one of the cream of the new groups that will eventually make the jump into the big time this year. Dave shrugs off the attention though and is just pleased that people are taking notice. He says: "It puts the spotlight on you a bit but that is the way that it works and we need to enjoy it. It doesn't bother me at all. "The band is just doing what it does and it's great that other people are starting to notice us." The band have just completed their first album, that is due for release in April. For Dave this truly is the dream come true that he has always wanted and an indication that the group are finally going in the direction that they desire. He says: "When you think about it and the album it is just amazing. We have gone into the studio and done the one thing that we have always wanted. "The album is obviously something we that we are very happy with. But when you consider that we have spent so long writing and working towards this, it is just a dream come true. "We already have a lot of the next album written as well. I think we are about 25pc there on that." Who Killed The Zutons? - out on April 19 - is a display of the band's intent and an indication that they can go far. The group are on a co-headlining tour with Scottish group Dogs Die in Hot Cars who, while not having the best name in the world, are still well worth a look. Unsurprisingly, though it is The Zutons that will be taking the limelight when they walk on stage at Liverpool University. It is an indication of the sudden burst in quality of the group that despite only starting in 2002 are already making the necessary waves. Their last single, Pressure Point, charted in the top 20, hitting number 14 and they are continuing to grow as a group. According to songwriter Dave a sudden burst of creative talent has shown the way that the group wants to go. In the past they have faced unfair comparison to The Coral but The Zutons, despite emerging from a similar scene are a growing group with a unique feel. Their album is a quick blitz through all that was good in the last 40 years of music. Soul and blues merge seamlessly together and all the time they appear to be increasing in confidence. Catch them tonight when you get the chance to see them in a small venue - even if the band would rather there were a couple more in there. | 
