The line-up for the 2010 Ultimate Battle of the Musos competition, the first heat of which will be held at X-it Youth Centre on Friday, has been announced.
Solo artists and bands playing during the next two weeks include Distorted Gypsy, the Fletcherz, Hertzog Burger, Sarah Foley, Max Gunn and Emily Burns, Ruby Bains, Red House, Why We Need Darkness, Belinda Sue, Water to Wine and the Artful Hustlers.
X-it youth worker Fi Sawers said some of the acts had been busy practising at the Stanley St centre, while others came with experience of performing for the public in the Big Break show in May, on the Queenstown Winter Festival community stage in June, and in the Smokefreerockquest Central Otago regional final in July.
"When you think they've given you an amazing performance, they blow you away with something better," Ms Sawers said.
"A number of the youths are pretty excited to get through to the final to be judged by Mike Chunn."
Mr Chunn, Split Enz co-founder and present chief executive of the music programme for schools trust Play it Strange, will help choose the 2010 Ultimate Muso as guest judge in the grand final on Friday, September 24.
The former chief executive of the Australasian Performing Right Association (Apra), author and past Mushroom NZ record company chief will talk about his career at a ticketed fundraising dinner at the Heritage Queenstown, on the Saturday after the final.
The winning act will be invited to perform and join Mr Chunn at his table.
However, the young musicians, aged between 15 and 24, must first impress competition judges Simon Green, Winter Festival director and ASB Queenstown JazzFest event manager, plus Queenstown singer and entertainer Margaret O'Hanlan and Revolver co-director John Stapleton.
Singer-songwriter, producer and recording artist Andrea Cruickshank-Pearson and Studio 183 owner Dave Allison return to judge the Best Original Song category.
A Wakatipu artist will be guest judge at both heats.
Doors open at 7pm on Friday and the competition starts at 7.30pm.
People under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The second heat will be held at the same time and place on Friday, September 17.
