IT’S not every teenage band which gets to open for The Hoosiers.

So it’s not surprising that SJS are ridiculously excited at the moment, because that’s exactly what they will be doing tonight.

It must be something of a dream come true for them, a band made up of two Year 11s - 16-year-olds James Mattey and Seb Fell - and a Year 10, Joe Terry, aged 15.

“It’s going to be great,” said Mattey, who plays guitar and lead vocals.

It is the latest in a line of what Mattey calls “some really good opportunities”, which have mainly come through the Worcestershire Arts Education projects Mattey said: “It has just given us chances which we really would not have had otherwise.”

It has already seen them play locally and travel to Holland - and has now handed them this opportunity.

Five bands were chosen to perform before The Hoosiers at The River Rooms in Stourbridge - The Company, Daquari Canons, Secley Jazz Ole and Switch Play as well as SJS.

Fred Mallinson, the rock and pop co-ordinator for Worcestershire Arts Education, said: “All five acts really showed a lot of potential and have worked hard, and so were offered this.“ And SJS certainly have worked hard: they are getting themselves around the county as much as they can to get their name recognised.

What’s more, the first EP is set to be recorded and released in the next couple of months - which is not taking into account the fact that two of the band members will write their GCSEs come the summer.

Mattey, who describes SJS as “blues influenced” although the band all have slightly different tastes which feeds into their original songs and sound, doesn’t seem daunted like this.

Although there is no “plan” as such, he does want to see how far his band can go.

“The ultimate dream would be to be able to live off our songs and being able to freely play gigs without having the hassle of a day job.”

With all this, you do rather wonder whether you could be watching the beginning of something that has the potential to be big.

“What’s good is that we’re young,” said Mattey. “You get more chances if you’re young.”

- To find out more about SJS visit myspace.com/thesjsband.

To find out more about Worcestershire Arts Education visit voicesandvisions.org.uk.