LOCAL HEROES - Firefly

FIREFLY are about to set the musical world alight ­ starting with the

Portland Arms in Cambridge.

Husband and wife team Curly and Jenni are already building a loyal following with their acoustic-led blend of folk, pop, rock and electronica.

But tonight's gig (Thursday) at the Portland Arms will be the debut appearance of their new five-piece.

Joining them on stage will be bass player Matt Redgrave, drummer Oliver Smith, and backing vocalist Beccy Smith.

Canadian Jenni met Curly at university in Swansea nine years ago, but it was only after they were married over two years ago that songwriter Curly realised his new wife had the voice he had been looking for.

He said: "When I heard her voice it was an almost instant match with the material I had written."

Firefly's songs are all recorded at home with state-of-the-art computer software in an effort to emulate one of Curly's hero, Moby.

Despite the odd mix of styles, Curly feels Firefly are part of an "acoustic movement" set to be the Next Big Thing.

He said: "It's difficult to define where it sits but it's inside that movement. Someone like Badly Drawn Boy has done a lot for the style of music he has brought into the mainstream."

Firefly will use tonight's gig to launch their new EP and hope to play this summer's festivals in a burst of pre-release promotion for the long-in-the-making album, Canglo.

John Clare