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Bury St Edmunds music competition BurySOUND 2023 returns for 25th anniversary




Artists, duos and bands from around the county are preparing to hit the stage in this year’s popular music competition.

BurySOUND is gearing up for another year of live music with 25 local acts competing across five heats at The Hunter Club in St Andrew’s Street, Bury St Edmunds.

Here's the list of everything on offer:

Heat one's guest headliners is dreampop duo Amethysts. Picture: Amethysts
Heat one's guest headliners is dreampop duo Amethysts. Picture: Amethysts

Heat One - Friday, March 3

Competitors: Angelkidd, Anorak, The Dutch House, EV, Red Flag.

Guest headliners: Amethysts, Bury-based ambient dreampop duo.

Punk-pop band Fightmilk will play on Friday, March 10. Picture: Sam Frankwood
Punk-pop band Fightmilk will play on Friday, March 10. Picture: Sam Frankwood

Heat Two - Friday, March 10

Competitors: Bluefeed, Grace Wells, Soma, The 07s, The 29th Funktion

Guest headliners: Fightmilk, London-based punk-pop four piece.

Heat Three - Friday, March 17

Competitors: Loome, Luke Askew, Outbound, Ronan, Slughouse

Guest headliners: Huntar, aka Newmarker-born BurySOUND 2011 Winner Lewis Mokler

Men Of Munga will headline heat four. Picture: Men of Munga
Men Of Munga will headline heat four. Picture: Men of Munga

Heat Four - Friday, March 24

Competitors: Chloe, Esme Emerson, Ikarus, The Moochers, Rascade

Guest headliners: Men of Munga, metal quartet from West Suffolk

Queen Dogs at BurySOUND 2022. Picture: Barny Cutter
Queen Dogs at BurySOUND 2022. Picture: Barny Cutter

Heat Five - Friday, March 31

Competitors: Bamboo Powders, Jett9, Millie Kirkpatrick, Not Until Four, Sub-Liminal

Guest headliners: Queen Dogs, BurySOUND 2023 Rising Star Award winners

Reigning champs Collars will headline the competition's grand final at The Apex. Picture: Barny Cutter
Reigning champs Collars will headline the competition's grand final at The Apex. Picture: Barny Cutter

The winners of each heat will then play at the competition’s grand final on Friday, April 14 at The Apex in the arc shopping centre.

Last year’s winners, Collars, will headline the final where an overall winner and rising star award will be announced.

Each show costs £5 and you can buy your tickets by following this link.

The competition was first launched in 1998 by promoter Paul Johnson and Jackie Smith from St Edmundsbury Borough Council in an effort to kickstart the town’s music scene.

25 years on, the contest is now organised between West Suffolk Council and Washing Machine promotions to showcase and nurture emerging talent in Suffolk.

Many acts who have been involved in the competition go on to achieve great success in the industry including Gaffa Tape Sandy, Bessie Turner, Miss Black America and She Makes War.