This article was published in 2008.

With the announcement in March that the BBC will be bringing their Introducing Stage (formerly known as the Unsigned Stage) to the Leeds Festival 2008, we can today reveal to bands in the West Yorkshire area how they can be one of just a handful of lucky bands that will be selected to play on the same bill as their idols.

As with previous years, Futuresound competition organisers will select thirty bands from the hundreds of entrants to take part in ten heats of 3 bands each. Judges will decide on the top bands, with the overall winner opening the festival on the Festival Republic Stage (formally the Carling Stage) and the runners up will play the BBC Introducing Stage.

In addition to playing at Bramham Park, Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn revealed in March that bands would play both Leeds and Reading festivals, following the addition of the BBC Introducing Stage at the partner site.

To enter you will need to send an email titled "RE: FUTURESOUND COMPETITION – [BAND NAME]" to andy [ at ] thecockpit.co.uk. You must attach a completed application form, submit a link to your MySpace page (or other website with music) and nominate two songs for the judges to listen to.

Deadline for submissions is Friday, 30th May, with the live events taking place from late June.