BritBus, a sponsored tour by established U.K. musicians, on Monday announced that it is returning for its fifth year next year.
The tour traditionally plays U.S. college campuses such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle. New this year, five or six U.S. bands will vie for a slot on the 10-city tour in an online competition. In addition, for the first time the tour is being expanded to India and Australia and in those countries native acts will play on the their respective territories along with the U.K. bands.
Two yet to be determined U.K. bands will play along with five or six American bands in the U.S. They will travel from city to city on a 1973 bus. Previous U.K. participants have included: The Kaiser Chiefs, Katie Melua, and Paul Oakenfold.
Sponsors so far include Virgin Atlantic and Gibson Guitar. London-based All Terrain Music Rights, which owns the BritBus, CEO James Craven said in an interview that the competition hopes to continue it expansion by going into the Chinese and Japanese market in 2010.
