CALLING all Suffolk bands! Today The Evening Star launches the Battle of the Bands - a music competition which will see the best of Suffolk's music world go head-to-head.

CALLING all Suffolk bands!

Today The Evening Star launches the Battle of the Bands - a music competition which will see the best of Suffolk's music world go head-to-head.

Held in the Circle Bar of the Regent on November 14 and in conjunction with the brilliant Ipswich music scene website www.lovemusic24.co.uk, the competition winner will enjoy a weekend of recording at Punch Studios.

The band will be able to record up to three tracks and the prize will also include the mixing and mastering of the CD.

Not only do the top five bands from the competition get to play at the Circle Bar in front of a panel of judges on the night but they also get to support headlining band Prego, formed by Edd Simpson, brother of Charlie Simpson of Fightstar and Busted fame.

James Hicks, drummer with Road To V Winners Underline The Sky, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for unsigned bands in Ipswich.

“One of the difficult things to do as an up and coming band is to get recording time.

“It is a really good idea.”

Bands can upload their tracks on www.lovemusic24.co.uk from September 14 to October 1 and music fans will be able to either text their vote or go online to vote from October 5.

Voting ends on October 30 and finalists will be announced the week commencing November 2.

The competition is free to enter.

Evening Star news editor Jessica Gallagher said: “We are delighted to be launching Battle of the Bands.

“All five finalists will get a feature on them in the paper and online in the week before the big battle.

“There will be four judges and Charlie Simpson's brother's band Prego will be headlining.

“So spread the word about the competition and get on the lovemusic24 site to upload your tracks.”

Craig Shimmon, drummer of Ipswich-band A World Apart, said: “This is a great idea and definitely something we would like to be part of.

“It promotes the Ipswich music scene and the chance to record is a great prize for the winner.”

To find out more about the Battle of the Bands and all the latest on the Ipswich music scene visit www.lovemusic24.co.uk

Do you have a favourite Ipswich band? Are you in a band in the area? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

Whether you're a performer, promoter, venue owner or fan, lovemusic24.co.uk is the place for you to let everyone know what's going on in your music world.

Featuring gig info, events listings, photo galleries and band profiles, lovemusic24 is social networking site dedicated to the Ipswich music scene.

The site also includes a music classifieds section, blogs and festival information.

Membership is free and signing up is easy.

PREGO have built up a reputation as one of the best new bands on the live music circuit.

The indie-rockers have been tipped for the top by many DJs and critics and are currently recording their debut album.

Fronted by Woodbridge-raised Edd Simpson, they released their debut single, Cause and Resolve, last year, followed by Answers, both of which received rave reviews and heavy radio airplay.

They received a major boost when NME writer Mark Beaumont saw the band and was so impressed he set up a record label just to release their third single, The Longest Calm, in May.

He called Prego “the loudest, most brilliantly concocted cross between My Bloody Valentine's cosmic scree, Elbow's elegant drone and Coldplay's big music chart friendliness I could have ever imagined”.

Radio DJ Steve Lamacq also named Prego as one of his best new bands of the year.

The band are currently in the studio working on their album with producer Guy Massey and are due to head out on tour with post-hardcore rock group Fightstar in October.

Edd, who went to Framlingham College, is the older brother of Fightstar (and ex-Busted) singer and guitarist Charlie Simpson.

The five-piece band also includes guitarist Simon Britcliffe, from Saxmundham, and bass player Caspar Williamson, from Aldeburgh.

THE PRIZE

THE prize is a weekend of recording with Punch studios for up to three tracks including the mixing and mastering of the CD.

Punch Music Academy is also offering the prize of a year's free membership to the winning band allowing the winners to benefit from discounts at selected music stores and further discounts at the Academy's rehearsal rooms and at Punch Studios.

Outsource marketing and web design will provide the artwork for the CD and sleeve design.

They will come down on the weekend of the recording to take photos and work with the band to create their design.