aaamusic | On 02, Jul 2012

Bands and solo acts from across the country are gearing up for the culmination of months of hard work, as the National Grand Final of Live and Unsigned draws closer and closer. The achievement comes after succeeding in live heats across the country and beating over 10,000 other acts to make it through to the Live and Unsigned National Grand Final at The O2 on Saturday 14th July!

Divided into genre categories of Rock, Alternative and Indie, Acoustic and Pop; those who win in their categories will receive incredible prizes including huge festival slots, Fret King Guitar endorsements, £15000 in recording studio time, music equipment including Natal drum kits along with Blackstar and TC Electronic amps; with a combined value of up to £100,000.

Then the ultimate winner of Live and Unsigned 2012 will embark on a remarkable festival tour this summer spanning 14 top festivals across the UK including; Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters, Leopallooza, Brisfest, Sundown, Strawberry Fields Festival, Glass Butter Beach, Brownstock, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and five other summer festivals. In addition to the Live and Unsigned festival tour the winning act will receive a £10,000 cash prize.

Chris Grayston, Events Director of Live & Unsigned commented: “It’s a fantastic achievement to make it to the Grand Final at The O2, one of the best music venues in the world. It will be a great day for all the acts performing, whether they win or not. Last year half a dozen acts were signed to both label and management companies, after representatives were invited as guests. I can’t wait to see what the acts have got in store for us at the final it’s going to be terrific!”

This year’s Live and Unsigned National Grand Final will also include guest performances by Open Mic UK winner Hatty Keane, last year’s Live and Unsigned runner-up Lucy Spraggan and 2010 Live and Unsigned victors The Lottery Winners.

This year’s winners will be awarded the title of the UK’s best unsigned act in front of celebrity and industry judges and an anticipated capacity crowd on the main stage at Proud2 at The O2. This year’s celebrity judges so far include BBC Radio 1’s Ras Kwame, Kiss FM Breakfast presenter Charlie Hedges, Kerrang Radio’s Unsigned Expert Alex Baker and Mark Hill also known as one half of the urban duo Artful Dodger.

Live and Unsigned is the biggest original music competition in the UK for unsigned bands and artists. Attracting over 40,000 musicians to enter this year, it has set itself apart from its predecessors by promoting originality. To secure your audition place for next year’s competition and to book a ticket for the Grand Final at The O2, go to www.liveandunsigned.uk.com