:: Unsigned bands enter uncharTED competition for coveted Big Day Out slot in 2009

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

Unsigned bands have been registering in droves to be in with the chance of winning that one and only, highly sought after slot on the Big Day Out 2009 Tour. We can now officially announce that the Extra Dry uncharTED competition[/v] starts right here, right now. In true uncharTED fashion, the public needs to get behind their favourite band by registering and voting online""://www.uncharted.com.au

There is a CD to be won every hour for public votes and the more votes an unsigned band conjures up, the closer Big Day Out 2009 is on the horizon. The four highest-ranking bands as voted by the public will go through to the semi-finals in October. The only other chance of going through to the semi-final is to be selected by one of our four media panellists. What better way to start the ball rolling than to kick off with the announcement that one lucky band has already been plucked out of the crowd by our very own media panellist, Courtney Hard, A&R Senior Manager at Sony BMG - Check the website to find out who! There will be three more ‘media picks’ from our remaining panel (MySpace, MTV and FBi) announced every Monday until October 27.

Ken West from Big Day Out comments:
“The uncharTED competition has provided an amazing forum for us to experience a high calibre of great unsigned artists, one of which will eventually play the Big Day Out 2009 Tour – a huge feather in the cap for any band.”

So watch this space for more announcements or check out uncharTED for regular updates.

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**First band selected for finals - BMX**

Each Monday, one band is put straight through to the semi final in October and the first band picked is a band from Coolum, Queensland called BMX (pictured).

Band Members:
* Dane Wilson - Guitar
* Dominique Bird - Keys/Production
* Jad Lee - Percussion/Vocals
* Temma Lee - Vocals

BMX began when Jad and Dom began a side project after making electronic music together towards the end of of 2007. After it began, it was soon discovered that with their combined talent, they should form a live band. Along with Jad‘s sister Temma and their close friend Dane, BMX was formed. Each member of the band had a diverse background in music so it wasn't sure what direction this band would take. Forming in April 2008, BMX has begun to make a name for themselves having already had a successful year supporting the likes of Van She and Ladyhawke and winning Triple J's 'Unearthed’ ‘Parklife’ competition. Playing multiple shows interstate and having significant air time on both Triple J and FBi (Sydney), BMX has big things to come.

Quote from Courtney Hard, Senior Manager A&R, Song BMG:
“This is the kind of music you want to play at a house party, in the car, at the beach, with friends and loud! It also reminds me of the BMX I used to have in 1989 which makes me feel happy and isn't that what music is all about?!”

Quote from BMX:
“It was a massive surprise when we found out that we had made it straight through to the semi finals of the Tooheys Extra Dry uncharTED competition. To also be chosen by Sony BMG is great and to be the first band picked in the competition is even better! We would love to play on the Big Day Out 2009 tour so will be checking out the competitors very closely over the next twelve weeks! Cheers, BMX”

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**Update as at October 13, 2008**

Another band has been picked by the media panel and gains instant access to the semi final in Comp 3 of uncharTED! Five piece Repeat Offender from Brisbane have been selected by MTVs Artist Relations Director Colin Blake and join previous bands BMX and Kate Bradley & The Goodbye Horses. This means with only one more selection to go, voting for the band the public want to see go through to the semi finals and gaining that one in eight chance of playing the Big Day Out 2009 tour has never been more important! The chosen four bands will join the four highest-ranking public voted bands in the semi finals starting at the end of this month!

Colin Blake from MTV passes on some wisdom:
“Repeat Offender is an experienced live act and it shows in the quality of their songs. In a band search competition like uncharTED you get to listen to a variety of music, which is great, but you really start to quickly pick out the bands that are ready for the next level and the ones that are still stuck in their learning stages. Plenty of acts that are starting out play for themselves and for the fun of making music but don't consider the quality of the song for the audience/listener. Bands that play for themselves over-play their instruments and over-complicate songs. Repeat Offender is experienced enough to know that they can trust their musical ability, the quality of their songs, to not get carried away getting musically tricky and keep the music good to listen to. I think some of their songs and melodies are mainstream radio worthy right now. It will be great to see them get a bigger opportunity to grow and get exposure. Good luck guys!”

Repeat Offender are flattered: "It really is a great honour to be chosen as the MTV pick for uncharTED. We've all been fans of the uncharTED comp since it started and it has personally helped me find some of my favourite new bands, so to be singled out now is definately… most excellent. And to be picked by MTV is even better… I mean, it's MTV! Has video killed the radio star? I don't know… but I sure hope we'll make everyone out in video land proud!
Thanks MTV!"