Almost Famous Song Competition THIS week s song competition entry is called Hide It All and comes from confidently named band I Only Date Models. Perhaps that should read A-list actresses - as their sound leans heavily towards the raspy and delicate at

Almost Famous Song Competition

THIS week's song competition entry is called Hide It All and comes from confidently named band I Only Date Models. Perhaps that should read "A-list actresses" - as their sound leans heavily towards the raspy and delicate atmosphere of Coldplay. Guitars both chug and ping with an echoing warmth across the track and the singer has at times a familiar angelic quality. The lyrics are timeless and inoffensive - it's classic sounding stuff. No gimmicks, no quirky phrases. It's very clever in what it avoids becoming - there's nothing cheap sounding and it doesn't give away too much personality. It's a very beautiful and understated song and up there with the best we have received so far. As for the track's production, that's truly superb - take a listen for yourself on The Hunts Post website.

WRITE a song for Almost Famous and you could win rehearsal time at the Studio Rooms in Wyton and recording time at Fast-Strack Studios in Wilburton to create a CD. Your song will be on a special promotional CD of the bands who make the shortlist. There will be promotion for you in Almost Famous and on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire where the winner will be interviewed by Jeremy Sallis who presents The Audio Files on Thursdays from 6pm.

All entries will be made available to download on The Hunts Post website to help get your music heard by as many people as possible. The songs will stay on the site from when they reach us to when we announce the winner in the summer at a special gig.

The competition is open to all Huntingdonshire songwriters. All band entries must have at least one member living in Huntingdonshire to qualify. The judges will be the Almost Famous team.

To enter, email an MP3 of your song to almostfamouspage@googlemail.com along with the following information:

Name of song,

Full names of songwriters

Name of band or artist performing

Website address

Telephone contact details

Up-coming gig details

Background information on the performers and writer, including where they live

A photograph in sharp focus

We also need your permission to play the song on our website.

NEWS: ALTERNATIVE STAGE ANNOUNCED FOR CAMBRIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL

THIS year's Cambridge Rock Festival, at Wood Green Animal Shelters, Godmanchester, will feature an alternative stage. Run by Cambridge promoters Acoustic Stage, this will feature the best in unsigned talent from the region.

Many acts have already been announced for the stage. Opening the Saturday at 11am will be St Ives rock trio Bokaata, to be followed by Voodoo Hussey and the Whybirds.

Saturday's alternative stage will be headlined by glam/punk band Spit Like This, and also featuring on the day will be Little Chuck Little, Captive Audio, Return of the Furies and the Get Up Forward. While the line-up for Friday is still to be announced, a few bands have been confirmed for Sunday, notably the incredible Winter Kings whose big, driving anthemic songs are suited to any festival. The Acoustic Stage is now also promoting shows across Cambridge, notably at The Legends Bar within Cambridge City Football Club, plus The Bath House and The Boat House. The Cambridge Rock Festival runs from July 17-20. See: www.rockinbeerfest.co.uk

RICHARD PAUL

GIG PREVIEW: BETH WALTHEW @ THE BOAT HOUSE, CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 13

SINGER-songwriter Beth Walthew will play at The Boat House (Chesterton Road, Cambridge) on Sunday. The soul-jazz singer will perform material from her forthcoming album, currently being recorded. This will be the first with her new drummer. The show is a headline slot with another popular female singer-songwriter, Clara Kousah, and opening the event will be the very established Rob Jackson.

INFORMATION: Doors 7.30pm, tickets £4.

RICHARD PAUL

CAMBRIDGE BAND COMPETITION

THE first four heats are at Cambridge Barfly - (Formerly The Graduate, 16 Chesterton Road, Cambridge). The final heat is at Cambridge Corn Exchange on May 5. The winners' prizes include £500, free recording time, free mastering time, a primetime slot at the BT

Heat One - Thursday April 10

The Beautiful Sleazy

Common Courtney

Thudbox

Filthstones.

Heat Two, Thursday, April 17

General Lee

Slay That Dog

Wolves Stole My Childhood

Federal Black 40

Heat Three, Thursday, April 24

The Cougars

Keltrix

J Treole

The Winter Kings

Heat Four, Thursday, May 1

Flick 66

The Ridley Bury Experience

This is My Honesty

Yo Yo Yo Litvenenko