(NU) - Irvine, Calif.’s regional music festival announced its battle of the bands “Be The Band” contest, which will accept submissions from up-and-coming bands around the nation.

      The winning band will be announced on one of the OC Music Fest’s ten stages in May 2009. Prizes include a Dodge Sprinter Cargo Van, complete with 1,000 gallons of biofuel, and cash prizes.

      OC Music Fest 09 will be a three day event and festival with nearly 100 playing artists and bands. Artists can collaborate, build relationships and gain exposure – 20,000 to 60,000 spectators will attend.

      “My heart has always been in helping the unsigned, up-andcoming developing artists,” said Wayne Irving, the founder of OC Music Fest, “Ten weeks ago we decided to make it happen in 2009, and since then, more than 2,000 artists from around the globe have solicited to be a part of this exciting event.”

      The “Be The Band Contest” runs through Dec. 15, 2008. Entries will be reviewed through an innovative online tracking system, managed by Artists Relations professionals. Artists will be able to log in and see the review status of each of their entries. As a song or audio recording is processed, it will be shown digitally on ocmusicfest09.com.

     A $99 submission fee is required to participate. Reviewers will comb through the submissions pool and select the bands with the rawest, most marketable talent. Eighty bands will be chosen to showcase on the OCMF stages.

      Early artist entries include Bedford from Australia (www.myspace.com/bedfordrock), Ashleigh Cole from Estill Springs, Tenn., (www.myspace.com/ashleighcolemusic), Roman Alexander and The Robbery (myspace.com/romanalexanderandtherobbery) and LiTaL from Sherman Oaks, Calif., (www. myspace.com/litalsjourney).

      “The ability for artists to follow their recordings through the different steps of the review process is something that will make the process much more rewarding for artists,” said Ryan Foland, vice president of New Business. “Getting real time props and critiques, and in some cases, allowing the artist to make adjustments to a song and repost them to their account will make for a more robust two-way relationship with artists and OC Music Fest’s appointed A&R Professionals.”