Bands do battle for a Wicked prize....

FIVE local acts are to go into battle this year with the winner getting to support headlining acts at a music festival.

Wicked Hathern Fest has announced the finalists for Loughborough Rocks 2017 - a competition hosted with Loughborough Town Hall that will see musicians perform in front of a team of judges.

It has been announced that Hell on Heels, Rawkus Redz, Novocaine, Jitterz and Christopher Moody and The Underground Kings are the lucky five that will take to the stage.

The bands will battle live for a top slot at Wicked Hathern Fest 2017 - which is owned and run by Hathern Village Association.

Loughborough Rocks 2017 is to take place at Loughborough Town Hall on Saturday, May 27. A winner will be determined on the night after the audience vote is combined with the panel vote.

Ben Hardy, chair of Hathern Village Association, previously told the Echo: “Normally for Wicked Hathern Fest we handpick bands we’ve been to see at gigs but we thought it would be nice for the audience to come and pick one.”

So what are the bands like?

Hell on Heels are a “modern country rock covers band”, which usually play the hits of Nashville’s greatest artists.

Rawkus Redz, fronted by George Stackhouse who recently featured in LAOS’ Rock of Ages, are a rock band who formed in Loughborough College.

Novocaine is an indie, rock and punk cover band who formed from the ashes of local bands.

Jitterz describe themselves as: “The White Stripes on a bad day, after not sleeping for 20 days because they’ve been listening to The Clash and chatting to Andy Warhol”.

And Christopher Moody and The Underground Kings are a five piece Americana alternative country rock band that formed in early in 2014.

For more information and tickets, £8 early bird, search ‘Loughborough Rocks’ at www. loughboroughtownhall.co.uk or call 01509 231914.