As most of you probably know, we’ve been running a competition to find an emerging act to play at Hop Farm Festival 2012. The first phase is now OVER ! The votes have come flying in, the competition has been fierce, and the calibre has been exceptionally high... Who knew so many of you were so good eh?!

Now we’re zooming on to phase 2- The Live Heats. This is where it gets really exciting. We’ve got 3 sets of heats, each with 6 bands battling TO THE DEATH. Well, OK, not to the actual death. But, only 2 bands from each heat will astound our judges enough to make it through to the Grand Finale. There the final 6 will be whittled down to a triumphant, prize winning, world conquering 2. Here are the final 18 hopefuls:

Running Dogs 

California Gypsies 

Sean McGowan  

-RP- 

Ivyrise

The Big I Am  

James Lovett Trio 

Jonny P Taylor

Morrissey & Marshall  

Bow St Revolt

Deer Park  

Trojan Horse  

Maia

Joe Housley  

The Tempus  

Thank Pablo 

Harriet Jones  

The Black Delta Movement

And the dates for the heats and finals are as follows—

Heat 1 - December 4th 

Heat 2 - December 5th 

Heat 3 - December 7th  

Live Final - 12th December

All heats and the final will take place in Powers Bar, 332 Kilburn High Rd, London, NW6 2QN

Stay tuned for individual heat lineups...