Firestone launches third Battle of the Bands contest for unsigned UK musicians
Firestone has launched its 2017 Battle of the Bands competition, with Orange Amplification and Wolf Alice bassist Theo Ellis. The contest provides hundreds of acts the opportunity to showcase their music, as well as win more than £2,000 worth of Orange Amplification equipment, studio time worth around £1,500, and support towards the creation of an EP.
Orange Amplification, returning partner Professional Music Technology (PMT), and Firestone will also have the responsibility of judging the entries and agreeing on eight shortlisted acts. A public vote will then decide which three acts will then have the opportunity to perform on the new look artist stage, located in the pre-show entertainment area on the Arena Birmingham concourse, where the final will take place on a date to be confirmed soon. Entries are processed via Firestone’s battleofthebands.firestone.eu website.
Orange celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, and Firestone enlisted its help alongside one of their endorsed artists, Theo Ellis, to add its support to the promotion. After today’s (29 September 2017) launch, eight shortlisted acts will be selected after the 22 October closing date. The competition will then be opened out to an online public vote from 13-23 November, with the top three going forward as the finalists to play on the Firestone Stage in the pre-show entertainment area on the Arena Birmingham concourse. An overall winner will then be announced in front of the biggest crowd they will have played to, at the famous indoor venue.
Firestone’s brand manager Stuart Attfield said: “This will be our third Battle of the Bands competition and we are looking forward to it being our biggest and best yet.
“Music is ingrained in our DNA and dates back to our Voice of Firestone radio show in America many years ago. We are passionate about giving talented bands a journey to the main stage, which is why Battle of the Bands is such a vital competition for us.
“We wanted to build on two really successful years and engage with even more ‘grassroots’ musicians than previously. Our new ‘Be Heard’ strapline is particularly fitting as we think that every single artist should get the chance to have their own sound amplified to a big audience. Battle of the Bands will make sure that this will be the case for so many acts.
“Both Theo and Orange Amplification will supplement the existing partnerships we have with Professional Music Technology and Arena Birmingham, so we really hope this year’s event will be more memorable than ever.”
Ahead of the start of a heavy touring schedule to promote the release of Wolf Alice’s second album, ‘Visions Of A Life’, Theo Ellis said: “With small gig venues closing and bedroom music become increasingly accessible, Firestone’s Battle of the Bands is a cool opportunity for musicians to make and put their music out there to be physically heard. Music fans get to hear fresh new bands; that discovery is exciting for everyone involved in music and it’s great it’s being promoted here.”
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