After months of waiting and government-enforced hanging around, the finals of the Quids Inn Battle of the Bands take place tomorrow night (Friday).

After four rounds of competition and as many ups and downs as you can throw at it, including the odd pandemic here and there and bands splitting up halfway through, the finals will come down to a straight play-off between the four bands.

The draw for the final line up was made live on Manx Radio last weekend.

First up on the night is Acoustic Atmosphere, featuring Mark Frith on the cajon and Tom Baker on guitars, who won through from heat three, way back in March, with the Covid-19 pandemic knocking at the door.

They managed to come out on top of a strong line up, which also featured Mad Daddy and Bruises.

They will be followed by the heat two winners who were punk thrashers Swarf Damage, led by Mohawked front man Mike Cowley.

They held off a fairly varied line up which also featured Shady Acres and Biskee Brisht.

After finally getting things back on track, last week we were treated to a mighty showdown between three groups who each played at the top of their games.

The Fletcher Christian Mutiny eventually won through a tightly-fought contest, which also featured the Getaways and Sunset Jet.

After the final heat, it was found that the winners of heat one, Warbird, had since split up and gone their separate ways.

Faced with this minor conundrum, it was decided by the organisers that, as the fourth round had been so tight, Sunset Jet should be offered the chance to have a crack at the final.

’The final round was pretty amazing,’ said Andy Saunders, organiser of the battle of the band competition and landlord of Quids Inn.

’It was probably the closest of the heats and all three bands just nailed it. They brought their best to the stage and smashed it.

’Fletcher Christian Mutiny won, but it was so close.

’Then, after we heard about Warbird breaking up, we thought that Sunset Jet were the obvious choice to stick in the line-up. They were so good.

’It just means that the final is going to be a hell of a good night.’

The night will get under way at 8pm and will be kicked off with a set from last year’s winners, the mighty Man In The Woods.

Elsewhere, unfortunately its the last chance to catch the stunning Lost Dogs this weekend.

The Pearl Jam covers band are playing one last gig at the Railway, Port St Mary, the pub where they played their first gig a few years ago, on Saturday, from 9pm.