Win a place on the Hogmanay stage!

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay have just launched a new scheme, inviting up and coming bands to do battle for a coveted spot upon the stage of the capital’s world-renowned New Year street party celebrations. They’ve teamed up with The Skinny and Leith Records to search for the brightest and best of homegrown talent, giving the ultimate victors the chance to Hog The Stage (geddit?) on 31 December, and share the rapturous applause of international tens of thousands with headliners Biffy Clyro as well as many more as-yet-to-be-announced acts.

Applicants must be 16 or over, and from or based in Scotland. While anyone meeting these requirements is eligible to enter, judges will be putting particular emphasis on looking for emergent, unsigned acts. To get your band involved, go to www.hog-the-stage.com/enter, and submit a short bio, a track, a video and a picture.

A shortlist of five acts will be selected to perform at a special Hog The Stage showcase night in Edinburgh’s HMV Picture House on Sunday 21 November, playing for a panel of Scottish music industry stalwarts made up of our very own Music Editor Dave Kerr, Radio 1 DJ and all round new music champion Vic Galloway, Ed Stack from Ten Tracks, plus a very special and secret guest judge. The winning act will be chosen by both judges and audience, and go on to play the stage that has previously been graced by such celebrated artists as Frightened Rabbit, Franz Ferdinand, Glasvegas and of course The Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

Bands are very strongly encouraged to get themselves to the website and sign up for their shot at immortality. Folk wanting to secure a spot to witness the victors in action can got to www.edinburghshogmanay.com to register and buy tickets.