SIX unsigned bands from across the UK have reached the final of a national contest being held in Wrexham.

The successful bands were announced after results from a text vote were combined with a MySpace performance ranking for the bands taking part in Climb the Tail.

All six will play in the competition final at William Aston Hall on Saturday 26th January. Amongst them will be Wrexham’s own band, The Collards, who recently changed their name from Katch.

The line-up will reflect the results, with the highest scoring band headlining the gig.

Devised by three Wrexham businessmen, Climb the Tail is a national competition, launched on the MySpace website in August.

Organiser, Peter Leslie said: “Congratulations to the six bands that have made it through to the final in Wrexham.

“It promises to be a very exciting night, with plenty of great, new, live music.”

“We know all the bands have the potential to win, so it’ll be a very close contest.”

Tickets for the final gig are available now from the Wrexham Tourist Information Centre and are selling quickly.

Peter added: “Wrexham has a growing reputation for live music, and the Climb the Tail final will showcase bands not previously seen in the town.

“The competitive situation is sure to bring out their best performances and music fans will be in for a real treat.”

The six bands in order of appearance will be Satellite State from Guildford, The Collards from Wrexham, The White Company from Warrington, Sex Radio from Hartford, Cheshire, Up-Lift from Oldham and Jessica’s Ghost from Liverpool.

The Collards

They will be judged solely on their performance on the night.

A panel of judges will be looking for the band with the best chance of breaking into the mainstream with marketable music and a good stage presence, as well as their actual musical ability.

Fellow Climb the Tail organiser, Mark Kendrick, said: “The winning band will receive a fantastic prize of a complete package enabling their breakthrough into the music industry.

“It includes a recording session, an animated music video and a publishing deal.”

Climb the Tail was conceived to help unsigned bands get a record deal and bring talented musicians from across the UK to a concert in Wrexham.

50 unsigned bands from across the UK entered the first stage of the competition, launched on MySpace in August. They were judged on their MySpace performance and nine were selected for stage two.

In a text vote running until the 2nd January, three bands were knocked out, leaving six in the final.

Peter said: “The idea for Climb the Tail came about after I noticed how many talented bands were routinely publishing their music on the internet via MySpace with varying levels of professionalism.

“It takes more than just musical ability to hit the big time. The bands need to market themselves effectively and build up their fan bases to get their music heard as widely as possible.

“We created Climb the Tail to focus the bands on these facts and give them a means of proving themselves.”

The Climb the Tail final takes place at the William Aston Hall, Wrexham, on Saturday 26th January at 7pm. To find out more visit, www.climbthetail.com.