A SUMMER which will see them support global stars Rudimental and Earth, Wind and Fire could see a County Durham band propelled to the big stage, the group’s teenage singer hopes.

Five-piece The Silence are embarking on a tour of the UK starting in London on Wednesday (May 7), and ending at Chelmsford where they will open for Earth, Wind and Fire.

The band will then travel to Europe to support acts, including Brit Award winners and Mercury Prize nominees Rudimental at the Soulfrito Festival in Spain before further gigs in Marbella and Gibraltar.

Lead singer Livvy Griffiths admitted it was going to be a thrilling summer for the group which also includes her 19-year-old drummer brother Max.

The Griffiths, from Westerton near Bishop Auckland, are joined by Liam Slack, 20, from Fishburn, on bass and guitarists Guy Taylor, 22, from Newcastle, and Nathan Keightley, 19, from Manchester.

Livvy said: “We are all really excited about it and have been preparing non-stop, both in rehearsals and by getting plenty of sleep, food and water and trips to the gym.

“Everything we have been doing over the past four years has been building up to this point.

“You see these bands that seem to have come from nowhere and had overnight success, but that’s rarely the case, they will have been working for years to get there and build up a reputation.

“We feel like we are at that point, we are connecting musically and as people and now the industry has started to take notice of us we are really excited about what’s to come.”

The band has had various line-up changes in its four years and played in pubs and clubs around the North-East before enjoying tours of Europe and the USA.

They have released their first EP with their next single, The Fire, being launched on Monday, June 2.

Their first single, The Barriers, was picked up by MTV and is currently being shown to around 24m viewers in the USA and Canada, as well as being screened at Universal Studios in Florida.

The group is sponsored by Hair Haus in Bishop Auckland, Liberty Drums in Newton Aycliffe and Australian clothing company Big Mozzie.

On Saturday, July 5, The Silence will play at Spennymoor’s Gala in the Park and Middlefest Music Festival in the town on Sunday, July 20.

North-East fans can also see them at The Club That Rocks in Consett on Friday, August 1.

For more information, visit the silence.co.uk or find them on Facebook or visit the following link to see a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR016oS6Hvc