THE search to find the best new musical talent in East Lancashire is back.

The Lancashire Telegraph is backing the Reidy’s Talent Contest 2014, which will see one unsigned band or artist receiving a £1,000 voucher to spend at Reidy’s Home of Music superstore in Blackburn, the chance to record a single at the the state-of-the-art recording studios at Clitheroe Grand and have an accompanying video produced by Blackburn College.

Application forms for the open auditions are now available and the closing date for applications is December 20.

Paul Nuttall, managing director of Reidy’s, said: “We are building on the success of the first contest which we ran earlier this year.

“That first contest was a bit of a leap in the dark for all of us and the quality of the acts and artists who entered was truly amazing.

“The 2014 contest will be even better with more incentives than ever for musicians to enter thanks to the fantastic package of prizes on offer.

“From the very first live audition through the heats and then the magnificent grand final, lthe 2013 contest proved what talent there is out there.

“Word of the contest has spread among the music community and I know that the 2014 contest will be even better.”

The contest is open to individual artists or groups and to musicians of every genre.

“This year we have already had more interest from a diverse range of musicians which will make the contest even more difficult for the judges.”

The competition is open to musicians from the classical world to jazz and from rock to rap. In a change from the inaugural contest there is no limit this time on the number of musicians in a group or ensemble.

Artists and bands entering the competition must not be signed or be professional musicians. Unsuccessful competitors from the 2013 contest are eligible to enter for the 2014 evvent.

After the closing date for applications a series of open auditions will be held on the live performance stage within the Reidy’s superstore.

From there four heats will be held at Blakey’s at King George’s Hall for four consecutive Thursday nights starting on February 20.

The grand final will be held in the Windsor Suite at the venue on Thursday, March 27.

An independent panel of judges will score the bands and artists on their originality, stage craft, musicianship and performance. No backing tracks are allowed and although cover versions are allowed judges will be looking for an original approach on the material.

The winners of the initial contest were Ribble Valley acoustic duo The Remedy who took the £1,000 prize at a finals night which attracted over 350 people to tjhe Windor Suite. The band have gone on to perform at festival venues during the summer and have sparked the interest of a number of leading agents and promoters.

Application forms for the contest are available in-store from Reidy’s at Nab Lane, Blackburn.