THE Gazette is once again proud to be at the forefront of finding the very best music talent out there.

Thanks to the Colchester Arts Centre, the paper has been asked to join its panel of judges to decide who will play the Church Street venue’s On For 2019 gig.

The event, which is just for local bands, returns on Friday, January 18 and it this year will take place in the evening so we’re just looking for five bands to take part.

The entrants Once again you have to play original material and at least one member of the band has to be a Colchester resident.

The closing date for submissions is Friday, November 30, after which a panel of experts, including Colchester Arts Centre executive producer Stafford Glover, Keep Colchester Cool’s Ben Howard, frontwoman for FOX, Mitzi Fox, and the Gazette’s arts editor Neil D’Arcy-Jones, will decide who will play.

Neil says: “Some of the best bands in the world have played on that stage such as The Strokes, Muse and Coldplay, so what an opportunity for a new band or singer/songwriter just starting out or wanting to make a name for themselves.”

Those playing last year included Feedback, Little of Kings and The Widdershins.

If you want to be part of it, send some demo tracks or a link to your music to staff@colchesterartscentre.com or call 01206 500900 for more information.