A former Bradford Grammar School student is through to the area final of the biggest live music talent search for original bands and acts in the UK.

Tom Gee, named after the band’s 21-year-old founder, have successfully negotiated their way through the Yorkshire regional final of Live and Unsigned, and are set to compete in the North West England final at The Willows in Salford on Sunday, where they will battle it out for a place in the national grand final at London’s O2 Arena on July 23.

More than 10,000 musicians registered to audition. The victors can look forward to festival slots, a UK tour and a recording contract.

Tom, 21, established his blues, soul and funk band in 2009 and plays lead guitar and sings. The former pupil of St Anne’s and Holy Family schools, Keighley, and Bradford and Bingley grammar schools, is in his final year of a Popular Music degree course at Leeds College of Music.

He said: “We hope as many of our fans as possible will travel to Salford to cheer us on. To qualify for the national final would be a dream come true.”

Tom Gee has built up a following across the region, mostly from gigs in Bradford and Leeds. The band toured the UK last summer, and this year go on the road with a follow-up tour, Get Out of Bed. A new album is due to be released in June.

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