Centre Stage competition in full swing

You Had Me At Hello

 Another fabulous night in the Centre Stage competition for the search for a new band to play at Leeds and Reading Festival. Kicking us off was "You Had Me At Hello" from Bradford College. They tell us they are a pop/punk quartet and they certainly did create a buzz. They have just returned from Austin, Texas where they played at the South By South West Festival.

Exit Strategy

You Had Me At Hello

 Next up was another talented young group from Kettlethorp High School called "Exit Strategy" an alternative rock/punk group.

Exit Strategy

The Metro Gnomes hail from Halifax. They attend  Trinity Academy and Huddersfield New College. This band started out playing cover songs but now usually play their own material which went down well last night.

Metro Gnomes

  Frequency go to Castleford High School and have been playing together for about 2 years. They have entered a number of music competitions and played well for us last night.

Frequency

Frequency

Next on stage was The Arcane. This band which plays indie/pop comes to us from Pontefract New College. They have played a number of venues in the North of England and had radio airtime as well.

The Arcane

The Arcane

Roadside Light

Metro Gnomes

Alice At Last

Another Life

Alice At Last

Another Life

 Heavy rock from my old high school, Abbey Grange, Leeds was played by Another Life. Popular round Leeds these boys play loud!

The Maxanines

The Maxanines

Roadside Light

Roadside Light featured the only female artist on the night. This band is a combined group from Priesthorp School, Outwood Grange and LCM. A new act on the Leeds music scene.

The last band to play in the competition for the evening was from Pontefract New College - Alice At Last. Fast pace music and lots of energy brought the competitive spirit right up to the wire.

The Maxanines made a guest appearance to close the evening. These were last year's worthy winners and we were all pleased to see and hear them again.

This competition is fund raising for Martin House Children's Hospice.  All the bands in this event  are also raising money for this very worth cause. Too often the youth of today are decried as difficult and trouble seekers but these young people put the lie to this false theory. They have all worked very hard to raise funds.
The Judges (Isaac Heywood, Phil Weller, Michelle Dalgety, Micky Dale and Kate Prothero) will have a very difficult job and I am glad I do not have to make the choice of who will go forward to the final.
The whole event was ably compared by Alan Raw from BBC Radio Leeds.
The finalists will be announced on Facebook on Saturday.
 
Denis Heaton
Yorkshire Gig Guide