A FORMER Beccles band who are making serious headway in the London music scene will be returning to the town for a home coming gig next Saturday.Plan Nine, who have not played in Beccles since 2006, will be coming back to the town for the second Harvest Moon festival at Beccles Quay.

A FORMER Beccles band who are making serious headway in the London music scene will be returning to the town for a home coming gig next Saturday.

Plan Nine, who have not played in Beccles since 2006, will be coming back to the town for the second Harvest Moon festival at Beccles Quay.

Originally a '70s-influenced rock band, their sound has lately become more accessible and lively, and draws more on the work of pop artists such as Prince.

“It's a bit funkier and our songs are shorter now,” said Will Vaughn, 20, the band's lead singer and rhythm guitarist. “It's much more single material. We've grown out of long indulgent rock songs, it's more about having fun.”

Their last Beccles gig was at the Carnival in 2006, and they had hoped to play at this year's event before finding out that there would be no bands this year.

Since supporting Rooster at the Norwich Waterfront in the same year, Plan Nine have gone from strength to strength, and supported ex-Darkness band Stone Gods for their own home-coming gig in Gorleston in October.

They have also played with big names such as Grammatics and Palladium, and have played at famous venues including 93 Feet East, Purple Turtle, Kings Place, Norwich Arts Centre and the London Barfly.

The four-piece band, three of whom are ex-Sir John Leman pupils, now live in London and have their own club night at Tommy Flynn's in Camden. The night is called Ballet of Teeth and is hosted with fellow ex-Beccles band Fearless Vampire Killers, who will also be playing at the Festival on Saturday.

Plan Nine have recently enjoyed their fair share of media attention, and were interviewed and reviewed on BBC radio and Music-News.com, and will be featured in the highly acclaimed national Artrocker magazine in the next few months.

They are currently in preliminary talks for a deal with iPhone, which could include a large concert with Jamiroquai.

“We're really excited about coming home!” said Will, who is an ex-Sir John Leman High School student along with two of the other band members.

The Harvest Moon Festival is free, and will take place at Beccles Quay from noon until dusk. Other acts on the bill include El Gato's Men, Fearless Vampire Killers, and the Waveney Light Opera Group.

To listen to Plan Nine visit www.myspace.com/plannineband .