Vodacom Open the City (#VOTC2015) is back and with previous winners being Al Bairre and P.H.fat the chosen band has some pretty big shoes to fill.

Johannesburg’s much loved festival music festival, Vodacom in the City will take place in the heart of the city’s spectacular Emmarentia Dam. On Sunday, 4 October the winning Vodacom Open The City band will perform shoulder to shoulder with these international heavyweights, in front of an estimated 12 000 music-lovers. What’s more they will get rewarded R30 000 for the pleasure.

“I would absolutely recommend entering Vodacom Open the City, especially if you’re starting up and you’re looking to take it seriously. It will give you a lot of insights, it’s not run of the mill. People say I haven’t been given any opportunities, I haven’t been given any opportunities but it’s all about making the most of your opportunities,” said P.H.fat, winners of Vodacom Open The City 2014.

Vodacom Open the City is looking for entrants from all music genres whether you rock out, have an indie edge or kill a new age sound don’t be afraid to enter here: www.vitc.co.za. You just need to fill out a simple form, with links to your music, and a band logo and photo must be uploaded. A panel of industry professionals will whittle down the entries to a shortlist of five final bands. Vodacom will produce videos for these bands and the fans will then get the opportunity to vote for their favourite act.

The five finalists will also perform at a fringe event on Sunday, 20 September.

If you fit the following criteria, enter before Midnight on Sunday, 16 August 2015.

  • Your band must have a minimum of two years live performance experience;
  • Your band must have played to an audience of at least 2000 attendees;
  • You must have a minimum of 45 minutes of original material;
  • You must have been play-listed on a commercial or campus radio station; and
  • You must be available to perform on Sunday, 20 September and Sunday, 4 October 2015 in Johannesburg (Cape Town finalists will be flown up).

The five finalists will be announced on Monday, 31 August 2015.

Open the City is brought to you by Vodacom. For more information, visit www.inthecityjhb.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news on the nominee announcements.

Stay tuned to 5FM for regular updates, interviews and more information on #VOTC2015 and #VITC2015.