General Questions

Does paying the registration fee guarantee that my band can play?
Yes. You are guaranteed to play 2 songs or 8 minutes in total provided you do not miss your slot and comply with the stage manager's instructions.

Can solo artists enter?
No. The competition is open to bands with 2 to 8 members. However, solo artists can put together a band for the competition if they want to.

If there is more than one qualifying Heat in my city how will you decide which band/s will go forward to the next stage?
At least one band from each Qualifying Heat will go forward to the next stage.

Can we play cover songs?
No. All songs played in the competition must be original compositions, though not necessarily written by the band themselves.

Can we play instrumentals?
Yes.

Will my band have to sign any kind of contract?
GBOB will not ask bands to sign any contract. All we need from bands is permission to use their photagraphs and music for promotional purpose only. However, should TV or other media be involved, there may be the need to sign some kind of release form.

Is GBOB open to all genres/styles of music?
Yes. There are just two main rules: no cover songs and no pre-recorded music.

Do we have to sing in English?
No, you can sing in any language you like.

Is there a deadline for entries / am I too late?
There is no fixed deadline for entries. As long as spaces are available you can enter.

Is the competition only for unsigned bands?
No. The GBOB Challenge is open to all bands whether signed or unsigned.

Questions about payment

I play with two different bands that both want to take part, Will I have to pay the registration fee twice?
Yes you would have to pay twice. It's two different bands and either could go all the way

I don't have a credit card –is there any other way I can pay?
Yes. Firstly, complete the online registration form. Next, contact your local national director whose contact details are on your country page.

If I register and pay, can I get a refund if it turns out my band cannot play the Qualifying Heat we registered for?
No. Registration fees are non-refundable unless the local national director cancels the Qualifying heat you registered for or moves it to another date that is not convenient for you. If you cannot play your original heat for any reason and want to move to another heat, please contact your local national director whose contact details are on your country page.

Questions about the events

Will there be music industry people at the contests?
Yes. We always invite record companies, management companies, members of the media and other industry proffessionals to our events.

Why can't we use our own amplifiers and drums?
Because we want bands to share the same backline in order to keep changeover times down to a few minutes. Also we want to create a level playing field for all the bands. Any special equipment must be set up on stage before the concert and remain on stage till the concert is over. Any equipment on stage must be available for use by all the bands. You must use your own personal instruments (guitars and keyboards etc.) and drummers must bring their own bass drum pedal. You can use your own effects pedals.

Why can't we play for longer?
GBOB competitions are designed to be fast-paced and exciting. This makes it more interesting for the audience and any industry people present. If exposure is what you are after, a good manager or record company A&R person will know how good a band is after one or two songs and they can always check out one of your normal gigs if they liked what they saw. The hardest thing is to attract their attention in the first place.

Can we bring our own sound engineer?
Yes, but he will only be there as an advisor to inform the organisers' sound engineer where solos etc come in the songs and other special requirements.

Can we bring our own road crew or lighting engineer?
No. The organisers will provide all stage and lighting technicians.

Can we bring our own backdrop/banner?
No

If you have any question not answered here please send us an email