In an era of television pop idols and live battle of the bands contests, it's refreshing to see there are music events based on the idea of old-fashioned fun. Now in its fifth year, the Soundbase Festival Acoustic Band Competition seeks nothing more than to showcase local talent in an entertaining environment. Frank Lee King-ting, chief executive of organiser Tom Lee Music, has a simple agenda. 'The idea is for people to have some fun together,' he says. 'Our motivation is just to provide a situation for bands to be able to perform live. 'For the bands, it's an incentive to practise - something to work towards, and that's important. It's also a chance to improve - to see themselves on stage and get instant feedback from the audience. 'In the past, band competitions were rock oriented. We wanted to provide an alternative for musicians who played different genres and different styles. 'It's important to us that the event has a friendly and informal atmosphere,' Lee says. 'Some bands that traditionally play rock use the competition as a format to rearrange and experiment with their sound. They'll try it unplugged, which often allows them to explore their music with greater flexibility and variety. 'It's also a natural competition, being an acoustic show. What you see is what you get. In the long run it would be great if this had some effect on the recording industry. It's nice to see things go back to basics where one genuinely heard the real thing.' Launched in 2000, the festival typically attracts about 60 to 70 entries a year. 'We hit a peak of 100 bands a few years back, although the numbers seem to have stabilised. The quality of contestants has steadily improved each year though, and we often see the same people coming back, getting better each time. 'The festival acts as a meeting place for like-minded musicians. The people playing often have similar aspirations and desires. We've regularly seen acts play one year, then come back the next with a new line-up - often having met their new members at the festival. It's all very friendly. 'People know this competition now and it's taken more seriously within the industry. I'd say it's a medium for bands to be noticed by the right people.' Notable acts to have played in the past include at17 and In-Love, both of whom took their first public steps on the road to success at the Soundbase Festival. The rules are simple: no electronics (although bass guitars can be amplified). There's no restriction on numbers for any act, but there's a minimum of two performers for each band. Also, the entrants mustn't have released an album or signed a professional music contract. Prospective players then perform one song of their choice at a preliminary contest (held last month). The best go to the finals. This year, 18 finalists will compete for the prizes, and about 400 audience members are expected. The Soundbase Festival offers gold, silver and bronze awards of cash, coupons and instruments. The festival also recognises the best individual performance of the competition, along with a prize for the best song. 'Most bands like to write their own songs,' says Lee. 'They have something to say and it allows them to establish the character of their band. Original songwriting is certainly something we want to encourage.' Poster boys Soler will play an unplugged set at the event. Soundbase Festival 2005 Acoustic Band Competition final, Aug 28, 7.30pm, Sheung Wan Civic Centre, $55 (Music for Life members or groups of more than 10 people), $70 Urbtix. Inquiries: 2737 7603