Kim BriscoeA festival of bands in Norwich will not being going ahead this year, because organisers say they want to concentrate on promoting the city's music further afield.Kim Briscoe

A festival of bands in Norwich will not being going ahead this year, because organisers say they want to concentrate on promoting the city's music further afield.

For the past two years, Hot City Sounds has seen scores of bands and acts performing around the city at a series of venues in a celebration of local music talent.

But the festival, which was hailed as great opportunity for music lovers to hear an impressive variety of local groups, will not be held in 2010.

It was first held in 2008 and involved more than 40 bands performing over nine days.

The following year it grew to more than 130 bands and acts playing at seven venues around the city.

This year, Kingsley Harris, one of the organisers, said it will not be going ahead as he plans to concentrate on getting Norwich bands heard by music industry insiders in London and around the country.

He said: 'For the last two years it's been an organisational nightmare to sort out and I've got lots of other stuff on the go.

'I don't know if it will just be a break for this year or if it will be permanent.'

Mr Harris, who runs the NR One record label, said he would consider bringing the festival back in 2011, especially if other organisations came forward to share the administrative load.

He said: 'It doesn't cost a lot of money to put on but it does take a lot of time to organise it.'

Instead Mr Harris is concentrating in getting some of Norwich's bands seen outside the city. Over the next three months he has arranged for city bands to play three gigs at the legendary 100 Club in Oxford Street, London, which claims to be the oldest live music venue in the capital.

Acts to have played there include Louis Armstrong, the Sex Pistols, The Rolling Stones. On March 24, Norwich bands The Kabeedies, The Barlights, The Great Shakes and Alloy Ark will be taking to its stage.

Mr Harris said: 'Norwich has got a reputation as a place to be for new music. We want to take it on the road to London and get some of the bands seen by people in the music industry.'

The East Zone Underground is another project he is running and which aims to offer bands advice and support on how to put out their own records, from booking a studio to sending out CDs and press releases.

Do you have a story about the live music scene in Norwich? Contact reporter Kim Briscoe on 01603 772419 or email kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk

Make sure you check out the Going Out section of the Evening News every Friday for your guide to what's on in Norwich. You can also visit the Going Out section on our website at www.eveningnews24.co.uk