A Southampton band lost out last night at the Brit Awards.

Alt-J, fronted by Joe Newman from Highfield, were nominated for three of the prestigious awards.

They incluced the big award of the night – Best Album –for An Awesome Wave which clinched them a Mercury Prize in November.

But the band walked away from the glittering ceremony, which starred Taylor Swift and Justin Timblerlake, empty handed.

Competition for best album came from winner Emile Sande’s Our Version Of Events, the Mumford And Sons release Babel, Plan B’s Ill Manors and Paloma Faith’s Fall To Grace.

Joe and the band were lined up against One Direction, winners Mumford And Sons, The xx and Muse for Best British Group.

Then they will battle it out for Best Breakthrough Act with winner Ben Howard, Jake Bugg, Jessie Ware and Rita Ora.

The band spent five years working on the debut album after meeting in 2007.

The band named themselves Alt-J, which is the command used on a Mac keyboard to create Greek letter Delta.

 

The alternative-indie band follow in the footsteps of other musicians to be nominated at top music awards – all former pupils from Cantell School in Bassett.

They include twice Mercury nominated Coldplay drummer Will Champion and Jack Wylie and Milo Fitzpatrick, shortlisted as part of jazz band Portico Quartet, for their critically acclaimed debut album Knee Deep in the North Sea.