NEWPORT band Screaming Martini and a Pontypool singer are among those preparing to battle it out for a place in the final of the UK’s largest music competition for unsigned artists.

Screaming Martini are hoping to impress Live and Unsigned 2012 judges and win a place in the grand final at London’s o2 in July.

Guitarist Vincenzo, 26, Danny Sahota, 27, and Matt, 26, and Eli, 21, Haslam make up the fourpiece rock band who describe themselves “as a cocktail of music genres”.

The band almost didn’t make it to the audition after missing the Cardiff heats but rushed to the Reading audition where they were selected by the judges.

Pontypool-based singer and songwriter Dwain Vincent Bessant, 37, will also join other contestants in the regional finals at the Cardiff Coal Exchange on Sunday.

Mr Bessant, of Wellington Road, Talywain, had no idea his brother Scott entered him into the competition.

The self-taught guitarist writes his owns material and has performed in a band En.V.us. He performed an original song Don’t Want to Be Here and his rock/indie style is influenced by artists such as David Gray and Nickelback.

He said: “It would be a dream come true to get through to the next stage.”