Live and Unsigned supporting the best independent festivals in 2012!

Independent Festivals across the UK are getting huge support from the UK’s biggest unsigned music competition, Live and Unsigned. Never before have independent festivals had such a big stake in something of this magnitude, and organisers hope it will get musicians involved in the smaller independent festivals that can sometimes be overshadowed by the big boys!

Independent Festivals

Live and Unsigned acts will be performing at thirteen separate independent festivals spanning the UK; from Paddle Round the Pier in Brighton, to Bfest at the northern tip of Scotland, and pretty much everything in between including AIM’s official ‘Best Independent Festival 2011’; Bearded Theory Festival!

Watchet LIVE and Boomtown Fair will provide a quirky alternative in the West of England, while on the East coast , Brownstock and Beverley are the independent festivals to go to for a family-friendly grass-roots vibe.

Further up North are two very interesting independent festivals: Cockermouth Rock Festival is a non profit event that boasts massive previous headliners such as Funeral For a Friend, Gallows and Goldie Lookin’ Chain to name but a few, and Lancaster Music Festival will take over the entire city with over 30 venues already confirmed!

The Big Stooshie is an independent festival in Scotland in its first year but it has high aspirations of becoming theLargest Help For Heroes/SSAFA Forces Help Scottish fundraiser in 2012, and with big names like JAMES, The Boomtown Rats and The Hoosiers amongst the veritable cornucopia of acts already confirmed it is easy to see why!

In London, independent festivals Z-Fest and London Summer Jam will be giving slots to Live and Unsigned acts and offering a very unique experience to festival goers. London Summer Jam is billed as providing amazing music, free jams, open mics, fun instrument give aways & sing-alongs. It’s sure to be a festival like no other and is offering an experience that none of the major festivals could!

Perhaps the most innovative idea of the independent festivals is Folk on the Water, a festival with a medley of musicians performing on a large 8-berth boat, cruising gently along the Warwickshire canal. It’s another noble event that will raise awareness and funds for 'Fallen Heroes' - caring for ex-service personnel and their families - supporting those suffering from physical injuries and psychological trauma.

Play Independent Festivals

Chris Grayston, managing director of Future Music, said: ‘The great thing about independent festivals is that even though they may drop below the radars of some of the major festivals, most of them have such a core following that they attract huge crowds!

Live and Unsigned is all about supporting under-the-radar musicians so this year we thought, why not show support to some great unique independent festivals? Make no mistake – these independent festivals will be great platforms for our acts and I can’t wait to see how many doors they open up for them!’

Acts that make it through the audition stage will get to perform to industry judges, A&R associates and celebrity guests in some of the UK's most prestigious venues. Judges set to join the panel in 2012 include Radio 1 DJ’s Annie Nightingale, Tom Deacon and Daniel P Carter, Kerrang’s Alex Baker and Happy Mondays star Bez.

Auditions are currently running through to March 2012 with a number of new audition venues on the circuit including the world famous Dingwalls in Camden. Acts are urged to enter now as places are in high demand and auditions are limited for what will be a great platform for any act or band to showcase their music. For information on how to secure your live audition for 2012 go to www.LiveandUnsigned.uk.com and register today!