'It's like the Olympics for rock bands,' says Bowers. 'Even Jamaica has an entry this year. Qualifying for the world final itself is a great prize. The bands get flown to London and it'll be an incredible experience for them.'

She hasn't worked with World Battle of the Bands since last year, and she's reluctant to talk about it or compare the events. She says she believes it's holding another competition this year, although the event's future looks uncertain.

As the Global Battle's new national director for China, Bowers is running heats in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai, with the China finals held in the SAR on October 25. It's the first year that Hong Kong and the mainland have been involved in the contest, which was founded in 2004.

'Forget about artificial, Pop Idol-style competitions and all the other glorified karaoke rubbish out there. This is the real deal for real bands playing real music - live,' says Matt Walker, one of its founders. 'We're delighted to have China taking part and looking forward to discovering great talent there.'

The format is snappier than the rival contest, in which bands play sets of up to 20 minutes; each band will perform an eight-minute, two-song set.

'With two-minute changeovers, between, that's a new band every 10 minutes, so there is no chance to get bored,' says Walker. 'It's fast-paced and exciting, you'll see some of the best new bands from around the world. There are just two rules: no cover songs and no pre-recorded music.'

'Often bands have one or two good songs and the rest is filler material,' says Bowers.

In the Global Battle, judging is also simpler, with judges not asked to mark various categories but to give an overall score based on a band's performance and music. Fans also get to play a role. Half the votes in the heats come from the audience. Attendees are given ballot papers and asked to choose their three favourite acts. From the national finals on, the voting is done by judges.

'Getting the audience involved will mean bands can bring along their fans and it should help create a great atmosphere,' says Bowers. 'It's more democratic. But just because a band brings along hundreds of supporters, it won't enable them to win the final.'

Hong Kong bands will face a tougher contest than Qiu Hong did in 2005 because of the scale of the competition.

From the 16 countries and territories that initially took part in 2004, the contest has grown to include 36, and up to 10 more are looking to join.

'It's getting bigger and better all the time,' says Walker. 'It's already the biggest live music competition in the world and promotes real music played by real bands as opposed to bland, manufactured bands.'

Several hundred bands competing worldwide will be whittled down through a series of elimination heats, regional and national finals to the winners who will be flown to London for the 2008 Global Battle of the Bands Challenge World Final.

Hong Kong acts shouldn't have an inferiority complex because of the city's relatively small size; last year's winners, Boys in a Band, hailed from the Faroe Islands, a tiny Danish province 310km off the north coast of Scotland with a population of less than 50,000.

Winning the China title will be reward enough for most, along with a slot at the two-night event at London's Scala on December 14 and 15. Record companies send talent scouts and the judging panel boasts impressive rock credentials: last year it included former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, Mark Keds from Senseless Things and Chuck Sabo, a session drummer with a dozen British Top 10 hits who has played with everyone from XTC to Natalie Imbruglia.

'I'll encourage the winners to try to find some gigs there and at least watch some bands so they can learn,' says Bowers.

Winners of the Global Battle have found it a boon to their fledgling careers. Walker says all the previous champions have signed publishing deals and major recording contracts.

Boys in a Band, who won last year's final at the Electric Ballroom in Camden Town with their brand of 'cowboy rock', have played Denmark's Roskilde Festival, one of Europe's most prestigious musical gatherings, and won coverage in the music press the world over.

Spanish indie band Second, who won in 2004, signed a publishing deal with EMI Publishing and a record deal contract with WEA/Warner Brothers label DRO Atlantic, and Irish grunge rockers Kopek, who triumphed in 2005, landed a deal with New York-based artist manager Thomas Valentino, who steered Kid Rock to fame, and have notched up a Top 20 hit in their home country.

American hip hop outfit Heavy Mojo, victorious in 2006, were signed to SRC Universal Motown after music mogul Steve Rifkind saw a DVD of the band's performance at the World Battle finals.

China's heats are beginning relatively late, with countries such as Britain, Germany and Italy having started the elimination process in February. Bowers expects more than two dozen bands to compete locally, building on a thriving local scene she has helped to develop through her series of Underground music nights. The gigs feature several local bands each month.

Among local entrants confirmed this year are indie popsters Killer Soap and high-energy rockers FBI, with guitar band Hungry Ghosts and grunge-influenced Tai Tai Alibi also expected to take part. The heats start tomorrow night. and conclude with the China final at The Cavern in Lan Kwai Fong.

Global Battle of the Bands, heat one, 9pm, tomorrow; heat two, 9pm, Oct 3. Both at Club Cixi, Shop A, G/F On Hing Building, On Hing Terrace, Central. Heat three, 8pm, Oct 4, The Cavern, 33 Wyndham St, Central. All HK$100. Inquiries: 9486 4648