Olivia Bonner-Evans, a Nottingham University, Veterinary Medicine student from Barford, near Warwick, has wowed the judges of the UK’s biggest original music competition and sailed through the audition stage of Live and Unsigned.  The afternoon of Saturday 24th March, will see Olivia competing against some of the most talented bands and artists in the country at the Regional Final Showcase of Live and Unsigned 2012, at Birmingham’s NEC, LG Arena; in a bid to make the Grand Final at The O2!Olivia battled against hundreds of auditionees to secure a spot in the live shows.  Acts that made it through the auditions take part in a live Regional Final Showcase in front of hundreds of spectators.  The best acts will get the opportunity to play at some of the biggest festivals in the UK from over 100 Festival slots including Beach Break Live, Boardmasters, Bearded Theory, Strawberry Fields and Osfest.  This year’s competition also offers acts an extra chance for exposure as it’s being filmed for Sky TV in an exclusive fly-on-the-wall documentary.Live and Unsigned is the biggest original music competition, for unsigned bands and artists, in the UK.  Attracting over 50,000 entries in the past five years, it has set itself apart from its predecessors by offering and promoting originality.  It’s now established as the definitive music competition for original acts and is open to all genres of music from folk, to Heavy Rock, to Rap.

Chris Grayston, Events Director of Live & Unsigned said, “Live and Unsigned is all about originality, live ability and credibility.  We don’t accept demos or submissions and everyone auditions live.  We’ve got some fantastic prizes up for grabs this year in a £100,000 prize pool, including a new main cash prize of £10,000.  The festival slots and other prizes available make this year’s competition our biggest ever!”

All the acts in the competition are battling it out for the chance to play at Live Fest at The 02 in London. The Grand Final is incorporated into London’s biggest indoor festival in July.  The winners will be crowned the UK’s best-unsigned act.  Celebrity judges involved in previous years include former Slade front man Noddy Holder, R’n’B star Shola Ama, Radio 1’s Annie Nightingale, Ras Kwame, Tom Deacon and Daniel P Carter, as well as members of top bands such as The Libertines, The Bloodhound Gang, Funeral for a Friend and Kids in Glass Houses.

Acts will be competing for the main prizes which include; £10,000 to be spent on development, a £10,000 publicity investment, gigs at festivals in Canada, Italy and Latvia, a UK tour of up to 100 shows and a UK festival tour including guaranteed slots at Norfolk Spectacular, Boardmasters, Strawberry Fields Festival, Brownstock, London Summer Jam, Lancaster Music Festival and Butserfest.

Live and Unsigned has partnered with musician’s website Music Radar to offer a comprehensive winners’ prize pool.  Acts will have the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes along the way to the final including BlackStar and TC Electronic amps, Natal drum kits, Fret King Guitars, £15,000 in recording studio time plus music development classes.

One contestant who has caught the eye of Judges this year is local talent Olivia Bonner-Evans, now competing in the Regional Final, after making it through the auditions beating hundreds of other hopefuls.  Olivia is now preparing for the Regional Final Showcase on 24th March at the NEC LG Arena for the opportunity to progress towards the Grand Final at Live Fest at The O2 in London.
For more information go to the website www.LiveandUnsigned.UK.com.  Or better still come down and support your local talent; you can purchase tickets from the websitehttp://www.liveandunsigned.uk.com/tickets/purchase

***ENDS***
Press enquiries to Ben Price – press@liveandunsigned.uk.com

Local talent shines in the UK’s biggest original music competition!
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