Being the first to know about a band makes us feel something special. You get that mmmmmm warm glow of being ahead of the game, and if you recommend the band to all your friends, and then the band go on to become big, you can swan around even more, smug in the satisfaction of being a tastemaker. Hell, even after the band falls from grace and become a bit too Coldplay-beige, you get to turn your nose up that little bit more, by being able to add “huh, I liked them before they sold out!” and other such nonsense platitudes.

Which is where The Rage come in. Most people can’t all spend our days hawking the listings of every toilet venue in London, or scouring a million MySpace pages, in the hope of stumbling across new and exciting bands. When you do, you find yourself stuck in some piss-stinking pub-hovel of a venue, surrounded by irritating teenagers who make the cast of Skins seem like Chelsea Pensioners.

The Rage are offering to do all the tedious legwork of finding new and interesting acts for you, and then presenting the results to you without forcing you into the rancid venues filled with screeching adolescents. Among those working behind the scenes are ex-Barfly bossman, Jeremy Ledlin, and Tris Dickin, who’d been a key promoter and the sadly-now-closed Spitz, so you know the bands they’re choosing will be a cut above.

In addition to the semi-regular Rage Gigs, they are also launching a series of monthly members-only Rage Sessions, the first of which is taking place at The Big Chill House in Kings Cross, on Tuesday 18 March. Set to headline is Christopher D Ashley, newest signing to Sunday Best. In support will be down-tempo acoustic man, Little Lost David.

Click here for more information about membership, and what else The Rage is up to.