For those about to rock

TR Events has teamed up with Bloodstock Open Air Festival to host the regional Metal 2 The Masses event at Preston’s Blitz club.

There are already six heats arranged for local hard rock and metal bands, starting tonight.

The winner gets a place on the hallowed Newblood stage at the UK’s biggest independent metal festival – Bloodstock Open Air at Catton Hall, Derbyshire –playing alongside bands such as Megadeth, Down, Emperor and more.

Phil Crompton, of RTR Events, said: “ Playing a large open air festival like Bloodstock is a dream that for the majority of bands will never come true.

“Opportunities like this give bands a genuine chance to be seen by thousands and potentially hit the big time.

“Even getting through to the Grand Final could be a massive boost to the careers of some of these bands as they will play to big names in the live music business and be promoted nationwide via the Bloodstock web page, facebook and industry magazines.”

The entrants have been narrowed down to just 24 of the best unsigned bands who will perform in the six weekly heats – 12 of these will be chosen for the semi finals and six will go on to play the Grand Final on June 20.

Bloodstock organizer Simon Hall added: “The voting for M2TM events is split 50/50 between judges and audience.

“Anyone attending will be given a vote on which bands progress to the next stage of the competition so audience members will get a real sense of participation as well as an awesome night out.”

In 2011 organizers RTR Events held Ready To Rumble at 53 Degrees in Preston which became the biggest battle of the bands that the North West had seen, attracting around 1,000 fans over the four semi-finals and more than 700 to the final.

Since then they have organised more than 100 rock and metal gigs at various venues in Preston and currently run a weekly gig Rampage Preston at the Blitz Venue on Great Shaw Street, Preston.

More info www.rampagepreston.co.uk

Heat 1, March 7 – Aftermath Eternal, All Consumed, Fire In The Empire, Hell To Pay.

Heat 2, March 14 – Black Mamba, Pay For Your Sins, Sally Calls, Strikeout.

Heat 3, March 21 – Knighthood, Rotcor, Seek Solace In Ruin, Triverse Massacre.

Heat 4, March 28 – As Empires Burn, Desolate Horizon, Fear The Fallen, Sinpathetic.

Heat 5, April 4 – Another Dead Hero, Falter, Deathtrip, Mustang.

Heat 6, April 11 – CSOD, Nihilism Incarnate, Repulsive Vision, Seventh Shade.