ENTRIES are going well for a competition in which the region's unsigned musical acts can win fantastic prizes.

Revolution, The Northern Echo's music website, is running The Big Chance to find the area's top pop or rock act.

The competition, in partnership with TFM radio station, will see the winning act gain a prize of three days in a recording studio, 100 CDs, and a photo shoot, courtesy of Sanity Multimedia, in Stockton.

Bands should send in a CD, tape or MP3 (no larger than 3MB) featuring an original track by Friday.

These will be judged by a panel of music experts and people from within the industry, and a shortlist of ten tracks will be uploaded on to Revolution for public voting alongside the judging panel's decision.

Three finalists will perform at a live gig on June 19 at The Georgian Theatre, in Stockton.

A panel of judges will select the winner that evening.

Tickets are £3 and will be sold at the door.

Middlesbrough firm House of Type has now stepped in to offer CD artwork to the winners as a prize.

Web editor Michael Atkinson said: "The judging will be particularly difficult this year because the quality of entries is excellent."

Entries must be accompanied by a form, available on the Revolution website, at www.thisisrevolution.co.uk, where a list of rules and regular competition updates are available, as well as a full list of prizes.

Band members must be 16 or over and entries should be posted to The Big Chance, Revolution, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF, or e-mailed via the website.

The Big Chance is sponsored by Copperfield Clothing and Air streetware, Darlington College of Technology, Blackett, Hart and Pratt, Northumbrian Water, and The Fourth Chamber.