THE new year has got off to an incredible start for Have Mercy Las Vegas. Last year saw the popular folk rock group play alongside famous names, including the Scissor Sisters, at top music festivals and play to buzzing crowds in venues across the country.

And there's no sign of the five-piece slowing down as they have already played at the influential Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow and are set to take to the stage at a new folk extravaganza in Troon.

Livebank caught up with lead singer Eilidh Trotter, who just celebrated her 21st birthday, to find out about her hopes for 2013.

The former Clydebank High student revealed: "Everything is going really well at the moment which is fantastic.

"Playing at Celtic Connections was a real honour and we were over the moon to play on the Danny Kyle stage.

"There are thousands of bands to apply to perform on the Danny Kyle stage and we were very fortunate to be chosen.

"It was a really positive thing for us and we were delighted to be part of such a brilliant event." She continued: "The whole thing was just lovely, it was nice to play a gig where people sat down and listened to us. That might sound a bit strange but we mostly play in pubs and there can be a lot going on.

"Although, it was odd that everyone was just sitting down and weren't dancing but they all seemed to enjoy it which was great." Eilidh, along with band mates Crispin McAlpine, Stephen Scott, Marc McLean and Phil Plunkett joined forces to form Have Mercy Las Vegas in April 2011 and have been going from strength to strength ever since.

Now the band plan to continue spreading the Have Mercy Las Vegas love and record their debut album.

"We're looking at festivals and trying to fill up the diary at the moment- we've got lots of things in the pipeline," the frontwoman beamed.

"We also hope to finish our first album before the summer and just continue to enjoy making music and doing what we do." Catch the band at the Troon New Folk Club in the Southbeach Hotel on Wednesday, February 27. For more information visit www.facebook.

com/HaveMercyLasVegas