Battle of the bands

Always a popular part of the festival, this year's Band Challenge is the biggest and best talent search ever to take place in Ireland and now boasts a prize fund of £15,000. The objective is simple: ask new, unsigned bands from around the country to send in their demo tape; if they're good enough they get to play in the heats which are being held in various Dublin venues all during the venue, hold the semi-final play-offs on Sunday May 2nd and the grand final the following night in the Temple Bar Music Centre.

Previous winners of the Heineken Green Energy Band Challenge include Pelvis, who won in 1997, were promptly signed to the London-Irish label, Setanta and are currently working on the second album. Last year's winners, Eva Dallas are about to release their debut album, Surface Air. It's not just the winning though; every band who is picked to play in the Band Challenge will have the opportunity to showcase their music in front of a small army of A&R men, and this year representatives from all the major labels will be attendance at the Band Challenge gigs. It's the sort of exposure that would normally take a few months, but is condensed into one night.

The winners this year, who will be decided by an international music industry jury, will carry off a prize of £10,000 in studio time, the runners-up will receive £3,000 of studio time, and the band coming third £2,000 of studio time. The Band Challenge gigs are always some of the most exciting of the weekend - remember this a chance to see the Oasis, Blur and Radiohead of tomorrow.

The semi-finals of the Band Challenge take place in Eamonn Dorans and Fitzsimons at 8 p.m. on Sunday May 2nd, and the final in the Temple Bar Music Centre at 8 p.m. on Monday May 3rd