Battling for festival place

By Ross Findon

Friday, January 29, 2010

Three of the heat two Live/Wired entires, from the top, Gweido, Puppet Therapy and The Golden Strands.

MORE than 20 bands will fight it out in the second heat of Live/Wired.

They will be battling for the chance to play at this year’s IW Festival alongside the likes of Jay Z, Pink and The Strokes.

The County Press competition, in association with music college Platform One and IW Radio, will also give the winning act a recording session at Platform One’s state-of-the-art Newport studio and airplay on the Island’s favourite radio station.

Acts will first compete to win the public’s vote, with tracks from each of the acts available to listen to and vote for from today (Friday), at www.iwcp.co.uk/livewired, which also features videos, photos, profiles and gig news. Click here to vote.

Voting will close on February 15 and the top four acts will go through to a live heat held at top Ryde music venue The Wight Rock Bar.

Judges will choose two acts to go through to a live final to be held in April, when those acts will compete against round one winners Alex Mountford and Vanzatti for the Live/Wired title.

"This is the third year we have run Live/Wired and the competition has got stronger and stronger. There is an incredible amount of talent on the Island, I can’t wait for round two to start," said County Press editor and past Live/Wired judge Alan Marriott.

Several acts who had to pull out of round one following a change in the date of the live heat have been allowed to enter round two.