LOCAL musicians are set to go head-to-head as part of a competition designed to determine the best upcoming group in the town.

The Buckinghamshire Music Trust (BMT), the county's music service, is hosting its eighth Battle of the Bands competition.

This year's event is set to be the biggest and best yet, showcasing the top young bands from Buckinghamshire and surrounding counties.

Over the past eight years, the competition has auditioned over 160 bands with over 600 young musicians taking part.

In previous years, the competition has been judged by some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Lohan Presencer, CEO of Ministry of Sound, producers Julian Emery and Dom Beken, Paul Guenault, Director of BMT, and Neil Reynolds from Alternator Promotions and Band Management.

All 10 finalists have the opportunity to win a variety of prizes at the final, including a two-day recording session at Bucks New Uni's state-of-the-art sound recording facilities and a variety of live performance opportunities.

All finalists will receive professional band photos and will perform live on stage at the historic Wycombe Old Town Hall, a venue steeped in rock and roll history that has seen performances by Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Jethro Tull, and The Who, among others.

"We are thrilled to once again bring the BMT Battle of the Bands competition to the forefront of the music scene in Buckinghamshire," said Paul Guenault, Director of BMT.

"This competition provides a platform for young musicians to showcase their talent and receive valuable feedback from industry professionals. We can't wait to see the incredible performances that will take place this year.”

The final will take place on 4th March 2023 at The Old Town Hall, Swan Theatre in High Wycombe, from 6pm.

Visit: https://wycombeswan.co.uk/Online/whatson-allevents for more information on the BMT Battle of the Bands 8 competition.