Million Empire, Victor, Barefoot Runners

Born out of a lust for expressing raw passion through music, Million Empire came hurtling onto the Midlands music scene in October 2008. Lacking in direct-to-vein, sincere, alternative music, the area was awash with mediocre, stale metal bands and bland-but-catchy pop kids.

They played every show like it was their last, and soon began clawing their way up the ladder to play bigger shows and gain impressive reviews. They got to the final of a major competition, performing at the legendary Wolverhampton Civic Hall in the process.

Several festival appearances led them to support slots with the much lauded And So I Watch You From Afar among others. They played Birmingham Artsfest not once, but twice in one day, the latter headlining the Kerrang stage.