ESSEX band Missing Andy are set to play a triumphant homecoming gig after shooting to fame on Sky 1’s Must be the Music competition.

The five-piece, who played to a sold- out Wembley Arena on Sunday after making it to the final three of the event, will be taking the stage at Southend’s Talk nightclub tonight for an intimate acoustic set.

Singer Alex Greaves said the show would be the first chance for the lads to celebrate their new-found success after a “mental” few weeks.

“We’ve been told from our mates it’s been absolutely crazy here,” he says.

“People are talking about us and every nightclub has been playing our song about 30 times a night.

“We’re looking forward to the gig. We went to the club a couple of years ago as punters on a night out. We liked the place, so we’re going for a little celebration there and playing a few songs as well.”

He says: “We haven’t had a chance to celebrate, so this will be a real welcome home gig for us. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes down. It will be quite intimate, we’re all looking forward to it.

“It’s an acoustic set, so it’ll be nice and stripped down and it’ll really focus on the lyrical side of it, which I think is one of our main strengths.”

The Braintree band’s fan base exploded as eager viewers watched their success in the show.

Although they missed out on the £100,000 first prize to Emma’s Imagination, Alex says things couldn’t be better as the show has given them the break they’ve been looking for.

It also gave them the chance to air their new single, The Way We’re Made, which was released on the same day.

He says: “It’s fantastic. We’ve been slogging it out for three years and, finally, it’s nice to have that bit of exposure and awareness.

“A lot of people just seem to love it, everywhere we go we get a great reception. We’re loving it at the moment. I think people identify with us and see themselves in this band.

“In The Way We’re Made we talk about a lot of the themes of good and bad, and about what happens in this country. It’s like pub politics.”

Although the acoustic set at Talk will be a relaxed affair compared to the packed-out Wembley gig, Alex says: “I don’t think anything will ever compare with Wembley Stadium, but to be fair we still go out and do the same exciting show as anywhere.

“We just love performing and playing to as many people as possible. We’re really looking forward to it.”

Doors at Talk, in Lucy Road, open at 9pm. Entry is £3 before 10pm, £4 before 11pm and £5 after 11pm.