It's a rock-off as battle begins

Wolverhampton's Little Civic has come alive with the sounds of emerging local talent as the eagerly-anticipated Battle Of The Bands competition gets underway.

Bands such as The Fans Of Faye from Wallheath, Third Way Forward from Rowley Regis and Walsall's Rebel Creek have already rocked their way through to the semi-finals as the competition got off to a flying start this week with early attendances exceeding those in 2008.

The annual event sees local bands battling it out in a series of heats throughout January, February and March, each aiming for the covetted top spot in the grand finals, which will be held at the Wulfrun Hall on Saturday, April 25 and hosted by Beacon Radio's Jon Wyer.

Winners of Battle Of The Bands Wolverhampton 2009 will be crowned and rewarded with £1000, a photo shoot and a host of goodies.

Entrants are judged on several criteria including presentation, delivery, songwriting, originality, vibe and audience reaction, with bonus points awarded for every 10 tickets they sell.

Organisers are still accepting entries from bands - send your applications to bands@wolvescivic.co.uk

Find out more at the official Battle Of The Bands website.