SOME of the hottest new musical talents from Worcestershire and Herefordshire have been chosen to battle it out in a new television series for ITV called Music Uncovered.

Pop rock bands, Volta from Pershore and Frantik from Hereford, and acoustic folk/blues Bizali from Hereford are just three of the bands who will be gracing our television screens over the next few weeks.

The bands have been filmed at The Sanctuary in Digbeth, Birmingham.

Producers for the series chose 18 unsigned bands from across the Midlands for the 10- part series, which is presented by Lisa I'Anson.

The bands perform their own original material in front of a live audience and a panel of four judges from the music industry, including ex-Take That star and solo performer, Mark Owen.

The overall winner will be given the chance to perform an exclusive showcase gig at Bar Fly in London before top record company executives.

The winner will also be given a development contract with Gut Records, one of the country's top independent record labels.

The series begins on ITV1 Central, tonight from 11.40pm to 12.10am.

"Music Uncovered is about bands that can perform their own material - no cover versions - and it has to be live with no backing tracks or samples," says Lisa.

"The series is about giving a performance and being able to project themselves in front of an audience.

"Music Uncovered gives them a real chance for stardom."

Volta and Frantik are no strangers to the pages of Nightlife.

The band consists of Jen and Bel on vocals, Dave on guitar, Ben on bass and Joe on drums.

They are set to be shown on the programme on Friday, April 23.

The band, who have been playing a lot of London gigs, found out about the show after they were contacted by someone who had heard their material on their website, and suggested they should submit some of their songs.

"It's already been filmed and it was amazing," says Dave.

"It was really good fun. We got treated really nicely - it's just the kind of thing that was too good to be true.

"We took it as it came, and stayed level-headed."

For the show, Volta were filmed playing two songs, Inamorata, a rock/pop number, and For Better Not For Ever, a chilled-out pop number.

Dave revealed that one of the songs will be broadcast on the night, but he does not know which one yet.

For more information on Volta, visit their website on www.voltaweb.co.uk

Frantik, a four-piece band from Hereford, consist of Robby, lead singer and rhythm guitar, Chunk on backing vocals and lead guitar, Bubbles on drums, and Sparty on bass.

The rock/pop band were chosen from thousands of applicants from the rock genre, and they are due to hit television screens on Friday, April 30.

"It went really well," says Robby.

"It was a weird set up, but the good thing about it is that you play live and there's no trickery."

Frantik, who were filmed playing two tracks, Havin' A Ball, and Be Happy, are no strangers to media coverage, as they have already appeared on ITV's Young, Gifted and Broke, as well as on radio stations.

They sent off their new single, Havin' A Ball, to Music Uncovered after seeing an advertisement in the Press.

Frantik, who have appeared alongside the likes of Lost Prophets and Toploader, filmed the video for their latest single in LA.

The video is attached to the CD, and is available at various record shops including Cow-Pat Records, Hereford, as well as Frantik's website on www.frantik.com

The band will also be headlining prestigious London venue, The Garage, Islington, on Saturday, May 22.

The Garage gig has coaches lined up from Hereford to London, and tickets can be bought via the band's website.