The Heats -
The competition takes in 36 competitors, bands, solo acts or otherwise, who will all take part in first round heats, beginning April 1. Each heat showcases four different bands and will take place on either a Friday or Saturday night until all nine heats are completed.

During the heats each band will have 20 minutes to impress three judges who will mark and place the bands into a final standing of 1st to 4th for the evening. The 1st and second placed bands from each heat will progress to the second round.

Consequent rounds -
A total of 20 places are available for the second round, 18 of which will be awarded to the 1st and 2nd placed bands in each heat. The remaining two spots are wildcard places and will be decided by the public - during every heat, the audience will have their chance to vote for their favourite band, at the end of all the heats the votes will be counted to determine the 19th and 20th places in the second round.

Five second round fixtures will take place, each including 4 bands. The top two of each night will progress to the semi-final which will involve two heats, each showcasing five bands. The best two bands from each semi-final will come together to play in the four-band final.

Dates for further rounds are not yet available and are subject to any signed band nights at The Mill. The Judges decision is final.

Every band will be judged using precisely the same method, regardless of genre, ablilty or numbers and will be assessed on three main categories:

Musicianship
Performance
Quality of songs/set

Three judges will act completely independently and mark out of ten on each category, compiling the point scores at the end of a night to work out 1st to 4th.

What the hell does that mean?

Musicianship -
How well the band members work together. Examines the difficulty of each role whilst still keeping an eye on the basics such as how well the band keep in time with one another.

Performance -
Less the musical aspects of playing, concentrating more on the whole live experience of the set. How well does each band command the stage? Do they belong where they are playing and is their energy transmitted well to the audience.

Song/set quality-
How good and original is the band's sound? Assesses howwell each song is structured and how catchy or popular songs prove on the night. Also taking into account how well the set fits together.