PLAYING FOR REAL
The Global Battle of the Bands, the world's biggest live talent competition for live pop and rock bands kicked off in 2004.
Forget about artificial Pop Idol-style competitions and all the other glorified karaoke rubbish out there, this is the real deal with real bands playing real music - live. Encompassing all musical genres, The Global Battle of the Bands will strive to bring the best un-manufactured new talent in the world to a wider audience. There are just two rules - no cover versions and no pre-recorded music.
Every year Local Qualifying Heats and National Finals take place in many countries around the world, with the eventual winners of these going forward to The Global Battle of the Bands World Final, which will be held in a different major city every year.
The very first World Final took place in a packed-out London Astoria on November 30, 2004 with the winners, Spanish indie band Second, taking away the Global Battle of the Bands Best New Band in the World award and the $100,000 first prize.
The panel of industry judges placed South Africa's Wonderboom second and Audiocalm from Wales third. Also named were the USA's Piper Downs, Russia's Salvador and Ireland's Raggedy Soul in fourth, fifth and sixth places respectively.
Bands already entered for heats in Northern Ireland include: Mojo Fury, Swurve, Inch High , Different Senses, Indigo Fury, Veteran, Wrong Day, Dead FM, Blind Friday and Tetra Neon.
Downtown Radio’s Johnny Hero, who is the host for the heats, had this to say:
“I know it’s early days, but listening to the quality of the bands who have entered so far, I know that whoever goes through from here to the World Final in London has a great chance of winning the whole competition! The interest that we’ve already had from the media and record companies about the local entrants would appear to bear that out, the only problem is going to be deciding on our finalists and eventual winner, because the competition is gonna be fierce!”
This year’s National Final will be staged at the Millennium Forum in Derry, while heats will be held at the following venues:
September 12th – Eamon Doran’s, Dublin
September 13th – Cyprus Avenue, Cork
October 6th – Royal Theatre, Castlebar
October 12th & 13th – Cuba, Galway
For more information, or to register, check out www.gbob.com
The Global Battle of the Bands, the world's biggest live talent competition for live pop and rock bands kicked off in 2004.
Forget about artificial Pop Idol-style competitions and all the other glorified karaoke rubbish out there, this is the real deal with real bands playing real music - live. Encompassing all musical genres, The Global Battle of the Bands will strive to bring the best un-manufactured new talent in the world to a wider audience. There are just two rules - no cover versions and no pre-recorded music.
Every year Local Qualifying Heats and National Finals take place in many countries around the world, with the eventual winners of these going forward to The Global Battle of the Bands World Final, which will be held in a different major city every year.
The very first World Final took place in a packed-out London Astoria on November 30, 2004 with the winners, Spanish indie band Second, taking away the Global Battle of the Bands Best New Band in the World award and the $100,000 first prize.
The panel of industry judges placed South Africa's Wonderboom second and Audiocalm from Wales third. Also named were the USA's Piper Downs, Russia's Salvador and Ireland's Raggedy Soul in fourth, fifth and sixth places respectively.
Bands already entered for heats in Northern Ireland include: Mojo Fury, Swurve, Inch High , Different Senses, Indigo Fury, Veteran, Wrong Day, Dead FM, Blind Friday and Tetra Neon.
Downtown Radio’s Johnny Hero, who is the host for the heats, had this to say:
“I know it’s early days, but listening to the quality of the bands who have entered so far, I know that whoever goes through from here to the World Final in London has a great chance of winning the whole competition! The interest that we’ve already had from the media and record companies about the local entrants would appear to bear that out, the only problem is going to be deciding on our finalists and eventual winner, because the competition is gonna be fierce!”
This year’s National Final will be staged at the Millennium Forum in Derry, while heats will be held at the following venues:
September 12th – Eamon Doran’s, Dublin
September 13th – Cyprus Avenue, Cork
October 6th – Royal Theatre, Castlebar
October 12th & 13th – Cuba, Galway
For more information, or to register, check out www.gbob.com
