Your chance to support chart-topping band live

11 December 2009

The New Beautiful South

The NEW line-up of chart-toppers Beautiful South have teamed up with leading UK songwriter Rob Davis and east London singer/talent-spotter Dee Curtis to find a support act for their live show in Walthamstow in February.

The East London Best New Talent competition is open to bands from Redbridge, Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest and the New Beautiful South support slot is a once in a lifetime opportunity for one lucky act.

The winning artist will also go on to work with Davis, a former member of Mud - who enjoyed a massive No 1 hit in 1974 with Tiger Feet.

He has since written huge pop hits like Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out Of My Head, for which he won an Ivor Novello Award, and If This Ain't Love for Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor.

Meanwhile Curtis, who founded the Red Onion theatre school in Waltham Forest which is organising the contest, has performed and toured all over the world with stars like P Diddy, Stereo MCs and Peter Andre.

The Beautiful South need little introduction thanks to hits like Old Red Eyes Is Back, Rotterdam, Don't Marry Her, Perfect 10 and their No 1 single, A Little Time. They have sold more than 15 million records.

Now known as The New Beautiful South - former front man and founder Paul Heaton is no longer on board - the band include original members Dave Hemingway and Alison Wheeler (vocals) and Dave Stead (drums).

They also have a whole host of new members, as they aim to resurrect the songs and the sounds of this British pop institution by dipping into the original Beautiful South songbook as well as writing new material.

Bands from all genres area are welcome to enter East London Best New Talent, solo acts, duos or bands, so if your outfit plays indie, funk, R&B, soul or grime (or a combination of any!) then this is for you. Only unsigned bands are eligible to enter and cover versions are permitted.

There are two categories - 10 to 19s and over 19s. The best 10 acts from each category chosen by the public and the judging panel, which will include Rob Davis and Gee Curtis, will progress to the next round, a live show at the end of January in front of a live audience.

Artists and bands can register at www.redonion.uk.com or by texting Talent (space) audition (space) to 82727.

Once on the website, each act will need to create their own profile page and then the public can log on to vote for who they would like to appear live at the next round.

Applications must be received by 11.59pm on December 31, and entrants must be available for the live audition in Bethnal Green on January 30 and the live support slot at Walthamstow Assembly Hall on February 13.

For more information go to www.redonion.uk.com.