It is the stuff of dreams - to perform live on stage with your pop hero in front of a crowd of adoring fans. Last night a group of unknown musicians got the chance to share the stage with Neil Finn, the man behind New Zealand super group Crowded House.

Only hours before the gig at The Picket, in Hardman Street, the group met for the first time to audition for a chance to play with Neil.

The musicians had been handpicked by the singer after he requested wannabe band members to send him their demo tapes. Lifelong friends Tony Flynn, from Kirkdale, and Tony McVey, from Kirkby, were both chosen for the socalled Band of Strangers gig.

Tony Flynn, a 35-year-old vocalist and guitarist, sent a demo of his band The Urchins and inadvertently got his mate Tony McVey an audition as well. Tony Flynn said: "Neil Finn's management called me the other week and asked if I was Tony, so I said yes. "They told me about the audition and then said, 'don't forget your bass', but I don't play bass. "They had heard Tony McVey on the demo and thought that was me. "So they just told us both to come down."

Boyfriend and girlfriend Steven Zdrenka, from Fazakerley, and Tricia McTeague, from Widnes, applied to join their hero Neil after seeing the request on his website. Tricia said: "We sent a demo of Steve on guitar and me singing and amazingly they chose us both. "We're huge fans and it was just absolutely mad to be up on stage singing next to him."

Southport-born Pat Fitzsimons, a charity worker by day and a drummer by night, presented Neil with a tasteful plastic, pineapple ice cube tray - in honour of the hit song Pineapple Head - and revealed that the chance to play alongside his hero was the best 33rd birthday present he had ever had.