Teddy Rocks in Blandford holds battle of the bands for slot on stage

A family-friendly fundraising rock event inspired by 10-year-old Ted Newton who lost his fight with a rare bone cancer in 2010, is helping to showcase budding bands during four heats in the run up to the festival in April, with the opportunity for one band to win a slot on stage.

Teddy Rocks Festival (TRF) has recently announced its biggest line-up to date including headliners Twin Atlantic, Modestep and Scouting for Girls.

The battle of the bands heats will take place every Saturday at 6pm for the next four weeks starting on 11 March at Freestyle Music Centre in Poole.

In partnership with Teddy Rocks Festival, Dorset-based company VocalZone will help to judge the heats, with one band securing a place on the line-up.

Ted’s brother – festival founder and director – Tom Newton, said: “I’ve witnessed first-hand how difficult it can be for bands to get their names out there. VocalZone support our passion in giving unsigned bands a chance to show us what they can do.

“We asked bands to submit an application including links so that we could listen to their tracks. We were thrilled to learn that we received more than 150 applications from both local and national bands alike. It’s going to be a challenge to choose just one to join us at the festival this year.”

Last year TRF raised £42,800 for children’s cancer research and to help children and their families undergoing cancer treatment, in any way possible.