Tuesday, 13 May 2008

Young Bands Wanted for BasFest Boom Room

Young bands and DJs have the opportunity to perform live on an exclusive stage in front of thousands of fans at the two-day Basildon Festival in Gloucester Park.

The two-day event, held in Gloucester Park, attracted more than 30,000 revellers last summer.
Among the headlining acts at this year’s festival are the X-Factor finalists, Journey South, and the Bootleg Beatles.

Grant Taylor, a community development officer for Basildon Council, said: “This is a fantastic chance for young stars to climb on stage and perform live in front of a festival crowd. We’re searching for talented musicians across any genre ranging from rock and R&B to techno and drum and base. We hope it gives young people a chance to showcase their talent and live their dream of performing live on stage.”

The event is part of the council’s live gigs programme, known as the Boom Room, which gives up and coming bands the chance to perform at venues such as the Towngate Theatre. As well as picking who gets to play, young people control each gig, learning new skills in fields such as sound engineering and stage management.

Mr Taylor added: “The Boom Room has been hugely popular with local youngsters since it was set up. It offers a springboard for ambitious bands to win new fans in front of a live audience and for other young people to learn career-focused skills."

The Basildon Festival is being held on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July. Entrants must be under-25 years of age. They will be asked to supply a demo tape. To apply, contact Grant Taylor on 01268 294785.

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