Hove Conservative MP Mike Weatherley has set up a competition to find the best live band and the best live music venue in Britain.
The heavy metal-loving politician is using the competition as a way of educating fellow members of the House of Commons about this area of law and policy.
Any band or venue can nominate itself for his “Rock the House” competition.
Mr Weatherley said that he would be nominating a band from Hove and Portslade himself and intends to hold a “battle of the bands” contest in April.
Five finalists in each category will be picked by an independent judging panel and one of the bands will have get to play on the terrace of the House of Commons.
Independent judges will also choose the winners.
The prizes include a gig at a top music venue or music festival, a photo shoot with an internationally published music photographer, Yamaha gear and instruments, the chance to network and have consultancy sessions with top industry professionals, master classes from top sound and lighting engineers and the chance to record some tracks and make a music video.
Mr Weatherley said: “Many MPs are already blogging about how they are organising the next stages locally and I urge all bands and live music venues across the UK to contact their MPs for nomination.
“In Hove and Portslade we will be having a ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition in April – and I look forward to receiving many entrants from my own constituents.
“I am a firm believer that the future of music lays in the hands of the up and coming artists, and the live music venues that support them, that are finding it increasingly hard to break through in a sector where many consumers think it is their right to access content for free.
“Without recognition that this music actually constitutes the creative and intellectual property rights of artists, the future contribution the sector makes to the economy will be jeopardised.
“This is particularly bad news for anything outside of mainstream genres and will serve only to stifle the diversity of the British music scene.”
Any band or live music venue can enter the competition by downloading and completing an application form from www.rockthehouse.me.uk.
The entry forms can be emailed to Mr Weatherley at mike.weatherley.mp@parliament.uk by Thursday 31 March.
The shortlisted bands and venues will be announced by the end of May.
And the finalists will be invited to a reception at the House of Commons on Thursday 30 June when the winners will be announced.
