With the festival season of welly-wearing well underway, a group of Wanstead amateur rock stars are appealing for votes, as they wing their way through a national competition in a bid to reach main stage stardom.

Crystal Wilde reports.

FOR most bands, rocking out on the main stage of a festival in front of 90,000 people is something only dreams are made of.

But for Bleech from Wanstead, that far off fantasy could become a reality, as they make the finals of the Road to V competition, to be the first band to take to the stage at the V Festival 2009 in Chelmsford.

The trendy trio, who describe their genre as "raw rock and roll with tough girl vocals and grungy guitar," have made it through to the final six, after beating 3,000 other hopefuls.

But as if that was not enough, Bleech also have the added advantage of being mentored by indie rock gods The Charlatans, who will offer up their knowledge and experience of 20 years in the music industry.

Guitarist and lead vocalist Jennifer O'Neil, 20, who lives in Wanstead Park Avenue with her bass player sister Katherine, 18, said they are willing Wanstead and Woodford to take them all the way.

She added: "In May we played at the Great Escape festival in Brighton along with nine of the other bands in the competition.

"We had a huge crowd as we were opening for The Charlatans so it was really cool.

"I didn't really know much of their stuff before but I've listened to it now and I really like it.

"We've just had a couple of development days with them where they told us they like our performance and just to keep doing what we're doing.

"It's all down to the votes now whether or not we'll play at V Festival.

"We're the only London band left in the competition so I just hope we can get some votes from the capital.

"I can't describe how amazing it would be if we won."

The two sisters started playing together in their early teens, but Bleech wasn't completed until they persuaded former guitarist Matt Bick, 19, of Empress Avenue, to pick up the drum sticks.

Since then they have gone from strength to strength, becoming the only band to secure a residency at Koko in Camden and getting into the "top ten tracks to listen to this week" list in NME Magazine.

Visit roadtov.com to listen to the band and cast your vote.

pics: credit to Richard Harris