A DATE has been set for a concert that aims to find the region's top rock or pop artist.

The gig will take place on Thursday, June 19, at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton, as part of The Big Chance competition run by The Northern Echo's website, Revolution.

The competition is being hosted in partnership with radio station TFM and Steve Harris, TFM presenter, will compere the event.

The competition will help the winning rock or pop act along the road to fame with a fantastic package of prizes, including three days in Sanity Multimedia Studios in Stockton and 100 CDs.

The Big Chance is being sponsored by Darlington College of Technology, Northumbrian Water, The Fourth Chamber, in Darlington, Blackett Hart and Pratt Solicitors, and Copperfield and Air, in Northallerton.

Sue Campbell, of the college, said: "We are already involved in the business of giving young people the chance to develop and succeed in their dreams, and we are happy to be associated with other exciting initiatives offering the same opportunity."

Dorothy Tait, of Northumbrian Water, said: "The Big Chance will create an opportunity to promote the wealth of talent in the music scene across the region."

Bryan Hoare, of Blackett Hart and Pratt, said: "We are an established firm and with our history we feel it is important to help young people, and this competition gives us that opportunity."

Photography for the winning artist or band will be carried out by Sanity, while CD artwork will be done by North-East design firm House of Type, based in Middlesbrough.

While last year's Big Chance had two categories - rock and pop - this year's competition has been streamlined and has one category open to all types of modern music. The rock section was won last year by The Shining.

Entrants are asked to send a one-track CD, cassette, or MP3 of original material to the postal address found on www.thisisrevolution.co.uk. All entries must be accompanied by an application form, available from Revolution. Deadline for entries is Friday, May 16.