News

Live and Unsigned Auditions Roll Into Glasgow

• 16th Feb 2012

Live and Unsigned auditions head for Glasgow on Saturday where hundreds of acts are expected to enter the UK’s biggest music competition for original performers. Only the most talented will make it past the judges and into the Regional Final Showcase in front of a huge crowd. Auditions are at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

I’m really looking forward to this – as I will be one of the judges with the difficult task of assessing all the acts and then deciding which will go through to the next stage of this exciting competition.

More than 10,000 acts entered nationally last year and this year’s competition is set to be bigger and better than ever with a £10,000 main cash prize on offer for the overall winner.

Acts that make it through auditions will take part in a live Regional Final Showcase in front of hundreds of spectators and the best will also get the opportunity to play at some of the biggest festivals in the UK including Beach Break Live, Boardmasters, B-Fest and The Big Stooshie. This year’s competition also offers acts an extra chance for exposure as it’s being filmed for Sky TV in an exclusive fly-on-the-wall documentary.

Chris Grayston, Events Director of Live & Unsigned said: “Live and Unsigned is all about originality, live ability and credibility. We don’t accept demos or submissions and everyone auditions live. We’re looking forward to seeing how much talent there is in Glasgow. We’ve got some fantastic prizes up for grabs this year including a new main cash prize of £10,000 to be spent on development. The festival slots and other prizes available on the road to The O2 make this year’s competition our biggest ever!”

All the acts in the competition are battling it out for the chance to play at Live Fest at The 02 in London. The Grand Final is incorporated into London’s biggest indoor festival in July. The winners will be crowned the UK’s best unsigned act within The O2. Celebrity judges involved in previous years include former Slade front man Noddy Holder, R’n’B star Shola Ama, Radio 1’s Annie Nightingale, Ras Kwame, Tom Deacon and Daniel P Carter, as well as members of top bands such as The Libertines, The Bloodhound Gang, Funeral for a Friend and Kids in Glass Houses.

Acts will be competing for the main prizes which include; £10,000 to be spent on development, a £10,000 publicity investment, gigs at festivals in Canada, Italy and Latvia, a UK tour of up to 100 shows and a UK festival tour including guaranteed slots at Norfolk Spectacular, Boardmasters, Strawberry Fields Festival, Bearded Theory, Brownstock, London Summer Jam, Lancaster Music Festival and Butserfest.

Live and Unsigned has partnered with musician’s website Music Radar to offer a comprehensive winners prize pool. Acts will have the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes along the way to the final including BlackStar and TC Electronic amps, Natal drum kits, Fret King Guitars, £15,000 in recording studio time plus music development.