Win VIP tickets to Band Wars

Long before Simon Cowell and his ilk started pitching would-be pop stars against each other, the rock world was hosting its own talent contests in the form of Battles of the Bands.

Now FemaleFirst.co.uk, is hosting an updated version of this rock culture classic with the headline slot coming from hotly-tipped London band Imperial Vipers. On 12 July at 8pm, the Barton Arcade will stage Band Wars: a battle of the bands combined with a fashion showcase featuring the best local designers, in aid of Help The Heroes and Royal British Legion. It'll be followed by a VIP after show party at the Circle Club, and we've got five pairs of tickets to give away.

The bands playing have been chosen from hundreds of entrants, so they're guaranteed to be worth checking out. They are Thinking For Tuesday, Mobius Loop, Friend Called Fred, and Boy Genius. They're competing for a weekend in a top recording studio and a load of publicity, so they'll be fighting hard to take the title of Best Band.

Headliners Imperial Vipers, who describe their sound as somewhere between Soundgarden and The Clash, are getting a reputation for delivering energetic live shows. The Sun recently raved about one of their gigs after Mischa Barton and Ladyhawke requested guest list places. Other celebrity fans include Radio 1's Colin Murray and Iron Maiden's front man Bruce Dickinson.

For more info, go femalefirst.co.uk