MOST bands start life in less than salubrious surroundings. The Cavern Club in Liverpool may have reached legendary status thanks to four mop tops, but the fans who had to endure sweat dripping off the walls may have seen if differently.

So Worcester three-piece band Escha, a play on words of the artist M C Esher, are probably on to a good thing with their rehearsal studio - an old caravan.

Somewhere on the outskirts of the

city, drummer and singer Steve Makepeace, bass player Derek Gutteridge, and vocalist and guitarist Rich Smith retreat to practise, week in week out.

Rich admits the caravan can get chilly, despite installing one or two heaters, but it's a home of sorts.

"I think most bands know you don't start out with all the nice perks and sometimes it's going to be pretty basic," he adds.

"But at least we have somewhere we can practise without any hassles. It's quite homely, in a way."

Since forming more than two years ago, Escha have gigged around the city - the highlight for Rich so far being an appearance at the now defunct Club Subterranea at the Worcester Arts Workshop.

The band's set ranges from raw-sounding guitar tunes on the likes of Cocksure to acoustic numbers such as Travelling Man and Cloud Surfing.

"Being a three-piece we tend to get quite a raw sound, but we try to mess with a few things to mix it up. We don't want to be a head down, 1,2,3,4 outfit."

Tonight they headline the Marr's Bar with support from Hereford band Frantik.