The Magic Numbers's recent short set at Action Records in Preston proved so popular dozens of people were locked out in the pouring rain hoping for the merest glimpse of the fast-rising quartet. Fortunately, the band are coming back to Lancashire for a show at Blackpool's Empress Ballroom on February 21.

The melodic popsters - based in Ealing, by way of Trinidad and New York - comprise Romeo Stodart, who sings and writes the songs, drummer Sean Gannon, and their kid sisters Michele Stodart and Angela Gannon.

The band started out in Autumn 2002 and built up a reasonable following over the next few years with support slots on tour with Travis, The Bees plus Athlete, with whom they coincidentally warmed up for at the Empress Ballroom.

Then suddenly this summer that trickle of fans became a flood - the Magic Numbers's self-titled album reached number 7 in the charts and was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, while the singles Forever Lost and Love Me Like You fared almost as well, hitting number 15 and 12 respectively.

And they became stars of the tabloids as well as the music press soon afterwards, when they walked off the Top Of The Pops set after presenter Richard Bacon called them a "big fat melting pot of talent" - a comment they felt was aimed at their appearance.

The Magic Numbers play the Empress Ballroom on Tuesday, February 21. Support comes from The Concretes. Tickets are £15.