Their relationship with music mogul Stuart Bailie has been key in their rise to one of Belfast's must see bands.

Stuart along with Luke Carson used to be in a band called Fast Emperors. Upon forming the Panama Kings they were joined by singer Niall Kennedy and drummer Ricky - friends from Ballymoney.

Former NME assistant editor, founder of the Oh Yeah music centre and ATL man Stuart Bailie wrote a good review of one of their first gigs and the band approached him to ask for advice.

The rest is history and the beautiful friendship has seen the band get involved with the Oh Yeah project and go from strength to strength.

None of the foursome, who are based in Belfast, have a full time job so intent are the band on succeeding in the music business.

The band are soon to release their third single on No Dancing Records have their own PR company, their own manager and own radio promoter.

"Getting signed to a major label isn't as important anymore," said Stuart. "There's bands like And So I Watch You From Afar that have proved you can do things on you own terms."

"By Christmas we'll have had three singles out," he added.

"In six months time we'll be putting an album together. You can't think too much about it now because an album has to be a document of what you're doing at that time.

Speaking of the Northern Ireland music scene Luke said: "Everyone has each other's backs. There's no bitchiness. All the bands go to each other's gigs, borrow equipment."

Stuart and Luke, who have degrees in design do all the band's artwork and also do design work for other local bands.

Stuart said music is at a high point in the country thanks to better studios, clubs and promoters.

Of their gigs Luke said: "We try to make the shows a bit of a party. At the end of gigs we've given out the address of the house for people to come back to afterwards - you don't expect anyone to come and the next thing the house is full. It's a great way of getting to know all the fans."

The band are a product of their many influences but their diverse sound is knitted together by Niall's unique vocals.

Comparisons have been drawn with Modest Mouse and the Pixies and, while the band are flattered by such soundalikes, thrive to be appreciated in their own right.

"We're a rock band but we're equally as interested in dance music," said Stuart.

"We want to write music that sounds as good in clubs as it does live."

Should they achieve the status they desire Stuart and Luke joked how they might rename the Kings Hall after them as the Panama Kings Hall.

"They renamed the city airport after George Best, so you never know," added Stuart.

Panama Kings launch their third single 'Your Children Are Screaming' with a gig in Auntie Annie's on Monday, October 20.