Vote an unsigned band to V Festival

United Kingdom | | 15 August 2005

Virgin Mobile has launched a search for the best new unsigned bands in Britain, and is giving them a chance to win an opening slot on the main stage at this weekend's V Festival

This year, Virgin Mobile linked up with The Big Issue magazine to find the cream of the crop in British music talent. The Big Issue invited music acts to send in their CD demos, which were then judged by a panel of judges from Virgin Mobile, Channel 4, and the music industry. Hundreds of bands submitted CDs and the final six were finally chosen: Special Needs, One Self, Leon, Crazy Girl, The Young Knives and Fleeing New York.

The six bands will now battle it out in a series of televised performances on Channel 4. Two bands will perform each night on Monday 15th, Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th August. At the end of the shows, music lovers will be invited to text in to vote for their favourites, the performances will also be shown on the C4 website, www.channel4.com/roadtov, and viewers can e-mail in their opinions on the bands. The winner will be announced on Thursday 18th August and the band will have 48 hours to practise, pack up and get ready for the performance of their lives at the V Festival on the 20th August at Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire on 21st August.

Steve Rogan from Virgin Mobile comments: 'Virgin Mobile is really pleased to once again be able to support new bands and help send new talent the on the road to stardom. The standard of entry for this year's Road to V was remarkably high and it was a real challenge to find six finalists. All of these bands are desperate to get on the V stage and are calling on their fans to make sure that they get there!'

The V Festival is celebrating its 10th birthday this year with a stellar line-up including Oasis, Scissor Sisters, The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers, among many others. Click on the links below for full line-up and info.