Brownstock Festival has held a competition through their Facebook App for unsigned bands, giving them the chance to promote themselves and win a set at the festival, which is held in Essex on the weekend of 30 August to 1 September. Brit Award winners, The Fratellis andThe Pigeon Detectives, who are headlining the festival, were part of the panel to choose the band they want to see.
Brownstock Festival had over 1000 bands apply to play for the 2013 festival. For The Brown Family, who run the music and arts festival on their farm near Chelmsford in Essex, supporting smaller unsigned bands has been a big part of the festival's ethos since the festival began in 2005. The family personally listened to every band that applied and selected 100 acts. Then, to select the final winners of 13 available slots these were put to the vote.
Brit Award winning band The Fratellis and The Pigeon Detectives who are both playing at the festival have picked their band. Other judges were Festival site Festivals for All www.festivalsforall.com, record label Noise Kitten and the public, who were all asked to pick their favourite acts from the 100 strong shortlist.
The Fratellis have chosen London Band Disemboweled By Sharks. Barry Fratelli said "I'm a big fan of Bristol-esque trip hop and acid jazz and this is the sort of thing I'd like to discover if I was walking round at a festival… bonus points for the double bass."
The Pigeon Detectives have picked duo from Essex, Frett, as their band to play in September.
The Pigeon Detectives said "I like their intricate yet low key sound. It's mechanical but there's real warmth to it. There's something very promising here…"
The competition was all run through Brownstock's Facebook Band App. This meant that all the Brownstock audience could easily explore and listen to the music of the bands that had applied to play at the festival. Meanwhile all the bands that applied, even the ones that weren't picked, had an easy way to promote themselves to a new audience. 5000 people took part in the public vote for their winner.
Adam Brown director of Brownstock Festival said "We have been looking for better ways to help unsigned bands who work hard get noticed. We were overwhelmed this year by the support for the bands and the number of people who have taken part in the vote on our app. We can't wait to hear these acts play as there really is some amazing talent from Essex and beyond".
The full list of the bands that have won the competition is here:
Disemboweled By Sharks – Picked by The Fratellis
Frett – picked by The Pigeon Detectives
Josephine and The Artizans, Hamptons and Ordinary Noise – from the public vote
27 Strings, Frankie The Gambler, Rabbit Foot – Picked by Festivals for All
Kaleidophone, Apple Rabbits – Picked by Noise Kitten
Ellekaye, Killatrix, Glenn Godfrey – Picked by The Brown Family
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