The number one live music centre in Shropshire today donated an extra £375 prize to the Shropshire Star’s Battle of the Bands competition.

Local bands are being urged to send CDs, videos, photographs and biographies to James Shaw, at the Shropshire Star.

They stand to win £5,000 worth of prizes and play in two finals nights, at the end of March, at Shrewsbury’s Buttermarket.

Today Salop Music Centre (SMC), St Michael’s Street, Shrewsbury, donated a top-of-the-range limited edition microphone to the competition for the winner. The microphone, a 40th anniversary SM58 professional, is worth £375.

SMC, which has been in Shrewsbury since 1975, has already donated thousands of pounds worth of prizes.

SMC general manager Rob Mulliner said: “We’re Shropshire’s premier live music centre and we’re delighted to be a principal supporter of the Shropshire Star Battle of the Bands.

“We’ve been in the town for more than 30 years and we offer a range of instruments, at all prices, to our customers.

“We also offer a full engineering service to musicians, whether they want to record at home, in the studio or play live. This competition is a great idea.”

Keith Taggart, of leading musical equipment suppliers Shure Distribution, said: “SMC is the premier Shropshire agent of Shure Products and has a good record of supporting musicians.

“We are really keen to help them with this competition and wish all the bands entering the best of luck.”

SMC has already donated a PA system featuring two Wharfedale Pro LX 15 speakers, two Wharfedale Pro LX 18B sub speakers and one Wharfedale Pro MP2800 power amplifier.

It has also donated a bass rig, comprising one Hartke 410 TP bass cab and one Hartke HA3500 bass head amplifier.

It is also giving five Blackstar electric guitar effects pedals including one HT-boost, one HT-drive, one HT-dist, one HT-distx and one HT-dual.

The SMC prizes are worth a total of £3,500.

CONTEST RULES: To enter the Shropshire Star’s Battle of the Bands, send your CDs, video and biographies to: James Shaw, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU. Alternatively, call (01952) 241452. Entries must be received by March 9.

By Andy Richardson

Competition sponsors:

Shropshire Music Centre – the main sponsors, offering £3,000 of band equipment www.salopmusic.co.uk

A Wolf at Your Door Records – offering 100 demo discs and advice www.wolfatyourdoor.com

Soundscape Studios – offering four hours studio time http://soundscape-studios.co.uk

The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury – venue for the Battle Of The Bands finals www.buttermarket.com