Breakout: Main stage slot at major Fife music festival is prize in new battle of bands competition
The countdown to Breakout, Fife’s big music festival is underway - and bands from the region have a chance to perform on the main stage.
The organisers are hosting a battle of the bands competition with the prize of a place on the bill alongside big names such as Wet Wet Wet, The Skids, Big Country and Midge Ure.
The door is now open to bands to throw their hat into the ring ahead of two live heats to be staged at Styx in Kirkcaldy on Sundays March 27 and April 3 - just weeks before the big event takes over the Esplanade for three days in May.
Breakout is expected to attract up to 30,000 music fans to the Lang Toun as it turns the waterfront into a festival site for the very first time.
The battle of the bands will be hosted by Collette Burns who hosts The Letty Rock Show on community radio station K107fm.
And it is open to bands from all musical genres.
Collette said: “"We have had a lot of interest already from bands across Fife.
"After two years of lockdown, I think the people of Fife deserve something like this to look forward to.”
The aim is to showcase five bands in each heat with the judges picking the winner to perform at Breakout in May.
The panel includes Neale Hanvey MP for Kirkcaldy; Councillor Judy Hamilton; Morag Neil, independent music promoter; Niall McCall, Breakout’s stage manager; Andrea Elder, K107 presenter; and Allan Crow, editor of the Fife Free Press.
Mr Hanvey, who recently hosted his own show on K107, said: “It is a brilliant idea.
“I grew up playing with local bands, and I know the dreams they will have.
“This is also such a challenging time for the music industry, so this is a great opportunity for local bands.”
To register your band’s interest - whether your style is rock, rap, pop -r or you are a solo artist, send a short video of you playing a live gig in front of an audience, and you could be invited to join one of the heats.
Send your video to the Breakout page at https://www.facebook.com/BreakoutFestivalFife or email [email protected]