Voting for the UK wide initiative Metal 2 The Masses has opened. Bloodstock was inundated with venues wanting to host their own heats in order to put forward 4 bands to represent their area. All the voters have to do is go to the forum page on www.bloodstock.uk.com and click on the unsigned section and well, basically...vote for the band of your choice at each venue. From over 50 venue applicants we selected hosts at Alton, Birmingham, Derby, Glasgow, Kent and Swindon. Each of these partner venues held several heats over March, April and May to find the best Metal bands in and around their county.

Bloodstock's Clive Leighton who heads up the Unsigned Stages and Marquees personally handling M2TM "winning bands will be announced on 01 July and they'll all earn a place on the Bloodstock Unsigned stage. This year we're proud to have Scuzz TV sponsoring those unsigned bands and for 2008 the stage will be within the Scuzz Underground Marquee. Band interviews and performance footage by Scuzz will be appearing on the market leading Rock TV station. This prominence gives the bands more than just a Festival appearance and that's what being part of the Bloodstock family is all about. I'm also looking forward to announcing more developments in line with the planning for 2009 as we ensure that we uncover all the emerging talent out there. I'm comntinually appealing for bands and venues to make direct contact with me on clive@bloodstock.uk.com or on 07882 352 742".

In addition to the Scuzz Underground Marquee, Bloodstock will also repeat the success of the Lava Stage, this year within the Guitar Hero 3 Marquee which will feature GH3, DJs, Karaoke and each evening - specially selected bands. At the Festival itself there will be opportunities to vote for the Bloodstock 2008 Breakthrough band from all the unsigned acts appearing at BOA 2008. That band will benefit from all year round support and championing from Bloodstock - with more details to follow!

So how do you get your band onto either of the Support Stages?

• through the website- please write to webmaster@bloodstock.uk.com. Bands will be voted for on the strength of their footage in 3 Metal categories with an overall website winner performing on the main stage. Last year's winner came from Costa ica........so anything's possible!

• through Metal 2 The Masses - applications are closed for 2008 but you can vote throughout June for your area winners. Venues should make contact now if they want to be a partner host for 2009

• through Festival submission - Bloodstock's Resident Metal Guru Lee Heydon wil trawl through the mountains of cds, mp3s and emails. In all cases, please write directly to;
lee@bloodstock.uk.com, bloodstock@hotmail.co.uk and to clive@bloodstock.uk.com. Additionally you can submit cds/ dvds by sending 2 copies of everything to; Clive Leighton/ Lee Heydon - Bloodstock Unsigned, 54 Arundel Drive, Spondon. Derby. England. UK. DE21 7QW

There are still a few slots that Bloodstock has up its' sleeve and any venue interested in working with us in June or July should contact Clive as soon as possible.