A BRIT Award-nominated band will grace the decks in Darwen this weekend.

Bristol-based Idles will play an exclusive DJ set at Darwen’s Sunbird Records on Saturday.

They have been nominated for the Best British Breakthrough award at this year’s Brit Awards, being held in London tonight.

Dale Grogan, label manager at Sunbird Records, said the event will be ‘huge’ for the town.

Mr Grogan, who works with recording artists and helps book and organise events and festivals at the venue, said: “It’s pretty crazy to have a Brit Award-nominated artist, and one that I’m a huge fan of, playing in a venue I helped build with a community of artists and musicians less than three years ago, in a small mill town in Lancashire.

“I think this is huge for Darwen.

“All the team at Sunbird Records work really hard to bring new and exciting artists and culture to the area and, through our hard work, I believe the venue is now beginning to build a reputation within the music community across the UK.”

Idles are currently touring in support of their second album, Joy As An Act Of Resistance, which was voted BBC 6 Music’s album of the year 2018, and Mr Grogan believes Saturday will be the first time the band have played in East Lancashire since their formation in 2009.

The 29-year-old, who has lived in Darwen most of his life, said: “We’ve had bands come and play at the venue before who’ve gone on to sign deals with big record labels and play big festivals, but this is the first award nominated artist at Sunbird records.”

Idles will be supported on the night by Manchester-based indie vinyl enthusiasts, Suck It & Spin.

Tickets are already selling fast and are available to buy from skiddle.com by searching for Sunbird Records.