Ipswich band BlueFeed win BurySOUND 2023 at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds

The winners of a popular music competition has been announced following five heats of local talent.

BurySOUND 2023 concluded tonight at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds where Anorak, BlueFeed, Ikarus, Millie Kirkpatrick and Outbound battled it out for the crown.

After a headline set from last year’s winners, Collars, this year’s winners were announced: BlueFeed.

Lead singer Noah Evans, 18, from Ipswich, said: “We really weren't expecting it at all - it just felt like a dream and now it's literally a dream come true.

"It felt so insane to play on such a big stage.

"I keep thinking we haven't actually won - we're just ecstatic right now."

Alongside Bluefeed, the Rising Star awards went to Outbound from Bury St Edmunds.

Both winners will receive a range of prizes including two days of recording at Punch Studios in Ipswich, headline shows around Suffolk as well as merchandise opportunities for branding, logos and t-shirts.

All finalists also receive a free four hour session at The Rehearsal Rooms in Bury with various recording opportunities.

With 25 years under its belt, BurySOUND continues to shine an important light on the emerging talent coming out of East Anglia.

An underlying theme throughout the competition has been following your dreams and gaining self confidence - no matter your age, background or passion.

Organiser and popular promoter Seymour Quigley closes each night with a heartwarming speech about believing in yourself.

While on stage tonight, he said: “Every single person in this room deserves to be happy - you all deserve happiness.

“There is a huge scene in this area - Bury St Edmunds is a small town yet we’ve got a bigger scene than some cities.

“This is the biggest turn out in well over 15 years for BurySOUND.”

Anorak kicked off the final with a strong set of indie rock anthems that got the crowd clapping and dancing along.

Ipswich-based trio BlueFeed kept the indie train trucking with their feel good tracks akin to something from the wonderful Inbetweeners soundtrack.

Up next were Ikarus from Framingham who exploded onto the Apex stage with their infectious stage presence featuring some fantastic tambourine playing.

Acoustic pop superstar Millie Kirkpatrick performed with her new backing band to deliver sweet melodies and catchy hooks - a refreshing addition to tonight’s final.

Fast? Loud? Powerful? That’s just three words to describe the ferocious Outbound who closed tonight’s competition.

The night finished with a bang as duo Collars took to the stage - a brilliant end to a brilliant night.

Click below to listen to our BurySOUND 2023 Spotify playlist featuring recent singles and popular tracks from this year’s competitors.

For even more local music talent, you can book tickets here for the upcoming BurySOUND Showcase gig at Haverhill Arts Centre on Friday, April 18.

This gig will feature Gabby Rivers, Queen Dogs, AngelKidd and a special headline performance from Ipswich-based band Reno & Rome.