Suffering for your art has long been a maxim among the creative set but The Big Moon took it one step further being pelted by paint balls while they performed their single Cupid.

The music video for the song, which enjoys air play on BBC Radio 1, was filmed in front of the girls' 15 friends, who all pelted their pals with great energy.

Soph Nathan, guitarist and singer, said she was absolutely up for doing the scary video, even though she was someone who would bruise like a peach.

"Actually it was freezing and painful. We couldn't do more than one take, so we were nervous, and just had to suck it up. The director (Louis Bhose) was supposed to throw the first one at Jules (Juliette Jackson, lead singer and founder of the band) but it didn't bust, finally it did and we all got cold and wet but we kept playing. I would still like to have a go at proper paintballing,'' said Soph.

The four girls got together through friends on Facebook. Juliette had written a number of songs and wanted a band to play them, so she posted online.

Soph said: "It was a friend of a friend who sent it to me. We met at the Famous Cock Inn, Highbury. Jules had already found Celia (Celia Archer, bass guitar player). I was scared but they were easy and nice and we chatted for hours.''

Finally drummer, Fern Ford, became moonstruck and the band was born, recording their EP On The Road, various singles including It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year and Formidable and in April this year their debut album Love In The Fourth Dimension.

Soph said: "It is a positive album, songs are drawn from Jules' life over the years since we started, not a specific theme but quite a few love songs.''

The Big Moon will be singing songs from the album when they come to the Barn On The Farm Festival in Gloucester next week.

"We are really looking forward to it. It's the festival atmosphere, it's exciting like a mini world,'' said Soph.

The band have notched up some high profile support slots, playing alongside The Maccabies, Ezra Furman and The Vaccines along with contemporaries InHeaven, whose lead singer is Chloe Little from Swindon.

"Chloe's lovely, we met at Reading Festival. The Vaccines had a younger crowed than The Maccabies but they were all keen to hear new music, our music. It was an incredible atmosphere. We went to the cinema with The Maccabies to see that horribly violent film, The Revenant. That's what you call a fun outing!''

Soph gave up training to be a nurse to follow her music and along with The Big Moon she is the singer guitarist with rock bands Our Girl and Breeze Panel.

The Big Moon will join Tom Odell, James Vincent McMorrow, Lany, Sundara Karma and many more from Thursday, June 29 to Sunday, July 2 at Over Farm, Gloucester. For more details or to book tickets visit http://www.barnonthefarm.co.uk/ - Flicky Harrison