News about the Original Bands Showcase 2010

The OBS is run by VJT Promotions - they can be contacted via the links below. This page provides information and news that we have gathered from them or from our coverage at the gigs we have attended.

OBS on Facebook | OBS 2009

The bands are now set for the finals of the OBS, which will be held at The Shed on Saturday 15th May. The lineup consists of

The James Lewis Band

The Boobytraps

Raptor Captor

and the Stiggz

with a guest appearance from last year's winners The Heroes.

Our coverage of bands playing at the OBS 2010 heats can be found on our Gig Reviews page and also on the gig notes page.

WhiteFix performing at the OBS gig on 17th April

2010 is clearly a vintage year for the OBS. The standards are high because the bands that have entered have represented thesome of the best best of what Leicester/shire has to offer - a high bar of musicianship and creativity. It is no wonder that the judges are having a really hard time choosing between the bands, with line-ups being so good.

The 6th OBS started on 27th February. The first seven heats saw some very good bands playing to packed houses. The heats saw seven bands go through to the semi-finals plus, for the first time, one wildcard band ( this being Third Time Lucky).

Six bands were invited to the callback gig to play again for a further two places in the semi-finals. Six excellent bands played at the Musician on the 17th April but no result was given on the night. It was a top night of good music.

Six bands, six sessions of very fine music and a really great crowd. Many band members came down to support the night - some from bands that had already got through, some from bands that had previously won OBS and others that were non-participating in OBS but who were there to enjoy the music.

What is OBS?

The OBS is a showcase, for bands from the East Midlands, that aims to play some of the best bands in the area.

The OBS is a series of gigs that showcases local rock bands and that provides an opportunity for people to sample a range of bands, some of which they might not have seen before. The OBS has a earned respect from many local musicians because it employs judges to choose the band that will go through to the next heat, rather than being a popularity poll, as some other competitions are. Each band is judged on its musical merits rather than on the number of tickets it can sell.

Leicester's independent music event The Original Bands Showcase is a 10 week festival of local live music involving 35 bands. Now in its 5th season, once again this year's winner and runners up secures a slot at Summer Sundae Weekender Festival on the Musician Stage as well as cash prizes and other goodies.

Dates for the heats and Grand Final are up now on Myspace

or check the results on this web page

Bands that played at the 2010 OBS

Ashdowne
Astromaniacs
Awaiting Approval
The Boobytraps
BKTB
Drive By Disco
Fan Fiction
Fat Digester
Identity Parade
The Kicks
The James Lewis Band
Junior Fencing Club
Moondad
The Pennyhangers
Polo Lounge
Produckty
Raptor Captor
Roxum
Silent Resistance
Skinny Bones
Stephen and the Heathens
The Stiggz
Strange Gods
Sugabeat
Sunflower
Tall Orders
Team 12am
Third Time Lucky
Tommys Heroes
This Fallen Empire
Wayward Trippers (?)
Weekend Schemers
Wicked Messenger
White Ashes
White Fix

Raptor Captor playing at the OBS gig on 9th April

OBS for 2009

VJT Promotions on Myspace | VJT Promotions web site

We have put some OBS 2008 gig reports on our Leicester Gig Reviews page.