YORK party band Huge were all lined up to support saucy singer Katie Perry at the Leeds University Summer Ball in front of 10,000 people on June 5 but… …alas the girl-snogging Katie won’t be kissing the Huge boys as she has “had a better offer” and will be playing a music awards show in Asia instead.

Front man Big Ian Donaghy is gutted: “This was a major coup,” he says. “We couldn’t believe that Leeds Uni had managed to get such a big name at the height of her powers, but now the Lotherton Hall crowd will be dancing to The Wombats and Reverend and The Makers with Trevor Nelson and the guys from Pendulum DJ'ing.”

Huge love playing the uni bash. “The summer ball is always a massive event set in a series of big top tents. In the past we’ve played there with The Sugababes, Pigeon Detectives, The Automatic & Misteeq, and last year we had the pleasure of sharing backstage with Bez from the Happy Mondays - quite an experience.”

No less memorable was Huge’s most recent engagement: playing at a large food festival in the North East. “The line-up defied reason: 4 Poofs And A Piano following Jim Davidson,” reveals Big Ian. “It’s like putting on a lion with a set of Christians.”

On Saturday, Huge loosen up for the Leeds party night with an intimate gig at The Ainsty, in Boroughbridge Road, York: their first York date since their Grand Opera House outings in January. Tickets cost £10 on 01904 798147.