Emergenza Festival new season keeps its promise again, and much more: giving up & coming bands real opportunities to play live at their best potential, with professional gear and in front of big audiences crowded in locations every band dreams of. This is not a mere statement, but a reality that Emergenza Festival is more and more willing to make true. Emergenza does its outmost to award its best bands with prizes that are conceived not only as a reward for the musicians who make a hit during the festival, but also as something which can really help them to grow as artists and to move forward into the professional music scene: live concerts, musical instruments, a slot in a music compilation, the opportunity of being spotted by a major record company… But we take care of every band who decides to play with us: no matter the musical style you play, every band has the opportunity to perform at least one show, what happens next is entirely up on you (and you can never imagine…)! At each step of the Festival, every band has the chance to be spotted by our Talent Scouting Division, that is charged with pointing out the most interesting ones to the majors. Since 1998, at least one band participating in the International Finals has gained a professional contract with a Major Record Company, and at least 30% of them has started a professional career and played live in tours; moreover, in 2001 Emergenza entered into a scouting agreement with Columbia-Sony Germany, which has the first option on the bands pointed out by Emergenza. And that is only the beginning. Now let’s try to sort our numerous prizes out! At every regional final, the best musicians will be awarded our sponsors’ top-level gear: customized Music Man and OLP instruments; Sabian handmade cymbals and Mapex pro-serie drumset; Sennheiser wireless systems, Crate amps. Bands who win the Regional finals will gain the ticket to the mythical International Final at the Taubertal Open Air festival, where they will represent their country in front of 20,000 people! The band who win the 2003 Emergenza International Final will gain a fully sponsored and promoted show case in the USA, courtesy of Ernie Ball, in the famous Vans Warped Tour. The hottest talents will be selected by Emergenza staff for the B.E.S.T. of Emergenza tour, a series of special showcases that take place in the best clubs in Europe and North America, free to the public but tailored especially for A&Rs. The best bands who take part in the festival have the opportunity of being included in Emergenza compilations, that will be promoted professionally through media, radio stations, music magazines. And that’s not all! Emergenza’s world is becoming bigger and bigger, and so are the opportunities it gives to musicians. Since 2002 the Acoustic Showcase, the new branch of Emergenza Festival, has already become an essential appointment for thousands of artists across Europe, Canada and USA. During every acoustic showcase one musician chosen by the public will be awarded an acoustic guitar Takamine or Ovation. And the winner of the International Final (to be held in Paris) will exhibit at the next edition of the Acoustic Cafè night show at the NAMM festival in Los Angeles, where he will play with the best American acoustic musicians. He/she will also be the guest of the MIPA, the award ceremony organised by 50 important music magazines during the Frankfurt Music Messe. In sum: more than €/$ 400,000 in top-level professional instruments and gear, and especially the big chance to play in front of thousands of people… what are you waiting for enrol?