A HEADBANGING crowd of mini-metalheads will rock Colchester Arts Centre in a bid to raise money for a little boy who suffered a severe brain injury at birth.

Slay Duggee, a band of five hard-rocking dogs, are set to give youngsters their first taste of live music at the popular venue next month at Angus Rocks - a benefit gig in aid of Colchester youngster Angus Grocott.

The band, whose name is a play on the title of popular children’s TV show Hey Duggee, perform metal covers of classic kid’s TV and movie tunes such as Christmas classic Walking in the Air, the Lego Movie’s Everything is Awesome and You’ve Got a Friend in Me from Toy Story.

Proceeds from the gig will go to charity Team Angus, which was founded to support Angus, two, who suffered oxygen starvation when he was born in May 2017.

Braintree and Witham Times: Angus with mum JessicaAngus with mum Jessica

Band members Black Shuck and Teddy Wall-Street, both from Colchester, are old friends of Angus’s da,d David, who formed the charity to help meet the ongoing physiotherapy and chiropractic costs for his son.

Angus himself will be the guest of honour at the gig and the band are hoping to recruit the brave youngster, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, as the latest recruit to their growing heavy metal army.

Mr Shuck said: “When we were young we used to go to gigs at the arts centre and we got to know David really well.

“We could not believe the incredible story of Angus’ life, which is so heart-warming.

“When you meet him you realise what a miracle he really is and how amazing the doctors and people at the hospital have been.

“To see him defying the odds to function so well really is inspiring.

“A lot of people do fun runs and things but we are not athletes and the only thing we can do to help is put on this concert.

“We wanted to make it a kids’ show so that he can come down and join the moshpit.”

Braintree and Witham Times: Slay DuggeeSlay Duggee

Fuelled by a cover of Baby Shark which went “viral”, Slay Duggee have notched up more than 25 million music video views online.

They have even performed at Bloodstock, the UK’s biggest independent heavy metal festival, and for the legendary Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music who has dubbed them the Lords of Toddler Metal.

At the gig the band will teach youngsters everything they need to know about heavy metal gigs - from to dos and don’ts of moshing and circle pits to why bands always save their best songs for the encore.

Young rockers can fully immerse in the experience and get their faces painted with classic rock and metal designs mimicking the likes of Alice Cooper, Dani Filth or members of Kiss.

A temporary tattoo bar and merchandise stand also add to the gig’s authenticity.

Braintree and Witham Times: Slay DuggeeSlay Duggee

Mr Shuck said: “As a musician you have a best before date and when you get over a certain age it is difficult to be a part of the scene. When you become a parent you feel ever more detached from the music world.

“Every day as a parent you are haunted by the ear worms of songs you hear on children’s television.

“A kid can watch 100 episodes of Peppa Pig a day which can be excruciating.

“The gig experience is brilliant and you see from the stage what it means to people.

“Since we formed the band it has been really inspiring to have parents contacting us to tell us how much it means to them to be able to share live music and heavy metal with their kids.

“People say kids like music soft and calm, but that isn’t true they love shouting, dressing up and going nuts and we want them to have the opportunity to do what they love.”

Slay Duggee perform at Colchester Arts Centre, in Church Street, on Saturday, October 19.

Tickets cost £8 per person.

Ear guards will be provided for children during the gig.

Youngsters must be supervised at all times.

Visit colchesterartscentre.com to book or find out more.