Ulster Hall, Belfast
Wednesday November 2, 2011
Doors 7pm
Tickets: £12, available from Ulster Hall Box Office and www.ulsterhall.co.uk
AU Magazine and The Oh Yeah Music Centre, with the support of Belfast City Council, Invest NI and the NI Tourist Board, are proud to present the first ever Northern Ireland Music Awards. Voted for by a broad range of stakeholders in NI music, the awards will recognise the diverse and high level of talent that heralds from our corner of the globe. Hosted by MCs Rigsy (BBC Across The Line) and Emma Fitzpatrick (Citybeat), the event will also feature a number of performances from our most prominent Northern Irish acts, including Cashier No. 9, And So I Watch You From Afar, Stiff Little Fingers and more.
The musical landscape in Northern Ireland is currently enjoying the most fertile and rich period it has ever experienced, with acts from a wide range of genres are enjoying huge success right across the globe. Two Door Cinema Club are selling out shows as far away as Australia, And So I Watch You From Afar are continually rolling their rock juggernaut across continents, and The Japanese Popstars are ripping up massive dance festivals the world over with their storming live set. Add to this the strong heritage from bands such as Snow Patrol, The Undertones, Ash, and Stiff Little Fingers and it is clear that Northern Irish music is riding atop a giant wave of success.
The NIMAs will bring together the established legends of Northern Irish music and the young guns of the scene in an evening of much deserved celebration and recognition. The historic and glorious Ulster Hall is the ideal setting for such a momentous occasion, and there isn’t a better time to shine a light on this part of the world.
Jonny Tiernan, Publisher of AU Magazine said “Northern Irish music is in the rudest of health right now, with young bands like Two Door Cinema club and And So I Watch You From Afar gaining global recognition, as well as a vibrant local scene. Not only that, we have a better support network than ever before, with great recording studios, media outlets, photographers, filmmakers, mentoring services and more, all helping Northern Irish musicians reach ever greater heights. These awards are a reflection and a celebration of all of that. What's more, we've been really lucky in that we've been able to secure a real wish list of Northern Irish acts to play at the event, and it's incredibly exciting to think that they're all going to be on the Ulster Hall stage on the night.”
Stuart Bailie, CEO of Oh Yeah Music Centre, said “Oh Yeah and AU were both thinking about an awards night at the same time, so the smart idea was to combine energies. Overall, the awards are proof that we rock, fantastically well. We have a wonderful spread of talent at the moment and a legacy behind us that we should be awful proud of.”
THE NOMINATIONS IN FULL
Best Band (sponsored by Beck’s Vier)
And So I Watch You From Afar
Cashier No.9
LaFaro
Not Squares
Two Door Cinema Club
Best Song
And So I Watch You From Afar – Search:Party:Animal
Cashier No.9 – Goldstar
General Fiasco – The Age That You Start Losing Friends
Rams’ Pocket Radio – Dieter Rams Has Got The Pocket Radios
Seven Summits – Burning Heart
Best Solo Artist
Duke Special
Foy Vance
Pat Dam Smyth
Rainy Boy Sleep
Robyn G Shiels
Best Electronic Artist
Boxcutter
The Japanese Popstars
Not Squares
Phil Kieran
Space Dimension Controller
Best Album
And So I Watch You From Afar – Gangs
Cashier No.9 – To The Death of Fun
Girls Names – Dead to Me
Mojo Fury – Visiting Hours Of A Travelling Circus
Not Squares – Yeah OK
Best Live Act (sponsored by the British Council)
And So I Watch You From Afar
LaFaro
Mojo Fury
Not Squares
Pocket Billiards
Best Video
Cashier No.9 – Goldstar
Cashier No.9 – Lost at Sea
General Fiasco – The Age That You Start You Start Losing Friends
Kowalski – Outdoors
Mojo Fury – Colour Of The Bear
Best Festival
Belsonic
Glasgowbury
Open House Festival
Pigstock
Sunflowerfest
The Oh Yeah Legends Award
Following previous recipients Terri Hooley (2008), Henry McCullough (2009) and The Undertones (2010), Belfast punks Stiff Little Fingers are recognised with the Oh Yeah Legends Award. “By challenging the given notions of sectarianism in songs like ‘Suspect Device’ and ‘Wasted Life’, they encouraged a generation of young people to see life beyond the bigoted, tribal world of Northern Ireland,” says Oh Yeah’s Stuart Bailie. “And when they sang “grab it, take it, it’s yours” they let us all know that we were in charge of our own destiny. Inspiring.”
The Oh Yeah Contenders Award
“The Contenders night was launched last year with live music from A Plastic Rose, Wonder Villains, Farriers and More Than Conquerors,” explains Oh Yeah’s Stuart Bailie. “We had a 12-track CD of new bands and then we took them on a bus tour around the north.” Following a poll of NI music experts, the winners of the inaugural Contenders Award will be announced on the night.
