THE County Standard is once again proud to be at the forefront of finding the very best music talent out there.

Thanks to the Colchester Arts Centre the paper has been asked to join its panel of judges to decide who will play the Church Street venue’s On For 2018 gig.

The event, which is just for local bands, returns on March 17 and this year will take place in the evening so we’re just looking for five bands to take part.

Once again you have to play original material and at least one member of the band has to be a Colchester resident.

Closing date for submissions is February 16 after which a panel of experts, including Colchester Arts Centre executive producer Stafford Glover, the venue's head of marketing Ben Howard, frontwoman for FOX, Mitzi Fox, and the paper’s Arts Editor Neil D’Arcy- Jones, will decide who will play.

Those playing last year included Fick as Thieves, Castaway, Lucy Hall and Matt Buckle.

So if you want to be part of it, send some demo tracks to staff@colchesterartscentre.com or call 01206 500900 for more information.