Public voting has opened for the acts taking part in the Arthur's Day - Play on the Day competition in conjunction with RTÉ 2fm and Hot Press, which gives the National Winner the chance to play the main stage on Arthur's Day in Dublin (September 22).
A panel of judges has shortlisted the best acts in the four regions, with RTÉ 2fm senior producer and panel member Ian Wilson saying: "The quality of the acts that entered was outstanding. The judges were faced with a daunting task, but there is no doubt looking at the list of shortlisted bands that this competition has captured the imagination in a really exciting way."
To find out about listening and voting, visit: http://2fm.rte.ie/pages/Playontheday. Voters, aged 18 or over, can vote for acts in all four regions with a maximum of one vote per region. For more details, stay tuned to RTÉ 2fm.
Public voting runs until August 21, after which the top four acts in each region will go through to the regional finals in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Belfast.
The four regional winners then go through to the Arthur's Day - Play on the Day final in the Róisín Dubh, in Galway on September 16.
The Shortlisted Acts are:
The East
(All of Leinster)
After the Explosions - Reflected Eye
Alarmist - Giraffe Centre
Autumn Owls - A Thousand Blind Windows
Bear Bones - The Great Escape
Cars Love Girls - Lose Your Mind
Cathryn Green - Can You Understand?
Cocophone - Hollow Tree
ColourMePink - Just So You Know
Cry Monster Cry - The March
Downhill - Extended Vacation
Emer Kenny - Freaks
I Am Kaii - Broken Glass
Junah - Sad Song
Jupe - Get Up
Killer Ceol - The Magic Door
Leaders of Nen - Bite Your Tongue
Meesha Lane - All Good Now
Modern India - Knifefight
Murder Plan - Soul Dance
Nuisance - Shoelaces
Owensie - Cat and Mouse
Press Empire - Let Go
Red Queen Contest - Fruitless Endeavour
Reko - Midnight
Roisin O - The Thrill
Santa Cruz - Blow It All in Vegas
Sinead McNally - The Green Eyed Monster
Soldiers Can't Dance - Show Your Skin
Teekay Da Newborn - Keep on Shining
The Barley Mob - Everybody's Music
The Curtain Thieves - Only in the Night
The Fallen Drakes - Masquerade
The Original Rudeboys - Stars in My Eyes
The Paddy Usher Band - Beat Me Like a Devil
The Radioactive Grandma - Chasing My Tail
The Rambleers - Ebb & Flow
The Whatmans - Come Along
Tieranniesaur - Sketch!
Tiny Magnetic Pets - Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye
Touch Wood - A Day or 3
The North
(All of Ulster)
Allison and Soulantics - One More Moment
Cathal King & Pauric Carney - Up and Down
City of Stars - Magic Cape
Clubbed Foot - Good Get Right
Comply or Die - Shanghaied
Eatenbybears - Vanderhoof
In Elegance - The End
Katie and the Carnival - Went to the Fair
Like Statues - A Journey to Speak Of
Miss Paula Flynn - Holiday in Sweden
Mojo GoGo - Romance in the Lie
Nine Lies - Save Me
Paul Casey - Big World
Red Light Inferno - Envy Glorious Envy
September Cross - Closer to the Edge
SertOne - Off the Burn
Shawn Morrow - Found Something
Shouting At Planes - Surrender
Suzanne Savage - Damage
Swanee River - Gypsy Promise
Terence Rowlands - Zen
The Bandits - Vicious Little Missus
The Making - Beautiful Tonight
The Popgun Plot - Svengali
Young Aviators - Life in the Front Seat
The South
(All of Munster, except Clare and Limerick)
Agitate the Gravel - Wilderness Years
Amber Jean - Morning Snow
Bocs Social - Shot One
Bona Fide Federation - Festival
Cathal Flaherty - Where to Hide
DC Tempest - Sometimes
Dead School - Frailties
FreezerRoom - Recommended Dose
In Valour - Into the Light
John Blek & the Rats - The Tide Will Rise Again
Jonny Rep - If You Had a Plan
Lisa Murphy - Clocks
Love Street - Don't Rush a Good Thing
Mind At Risk - Anywhere
Mishap - Fake
Monorail - River
Nicole Maguire - I Don't
Ophelia Mc - Revolutionary
Paradox - Mr Bureaucracy
Pavlov's Dogs - Home
Southern Highway - Oh Why
Ten Past Seven - Macroom
Time Is a Thief - Our Game
Vita - Dirty Silhouette
Zombie Computer - Get Over You
The West and Mid-West
(All of Connacht plus Limerick and Clare)
Bad Pennies - Mr Parking Meter
Birdthistle - Let It All Go Home
Blackpenny - Shame on You
Bug - Forks
Celtic Crossroads - Ned of the Hill
Dead Red Light - We Waste Ourselves
Dennis McCalmont - Carousel (Sun is Shining Down)
Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters - Strip the City
Intinn - Come Away
Ka tet - Bob n' Charlie
Kelvin Busher - Everybody Feels Alone
Last Days of Death Country - Venom
Lorcan James - VIP
Mark O'Connor - Roll Back the Years
Naughty Polly - Snowglobe
Oswald Green - Man on Stilts
Loyal Cuckoo - Sound of Revolution
Senakah - Clarity
Siomha Brock - I Just Want You
The Aoife Scott Band - Dónál Ná Fág
The Disconnected Bliss - The Hedonist
The Plea - Praise Be
The Rye - Love Grows Cold
Thomas McPartland - Hungry Eyed
Very Angry Girls - Red Balloon
National Winner’s prize package will include:
• The opportunity to play the Main Stage at the Guinness Hop Store on Arthur's Day
• A full recording session with a senior Record Producer, in RTÉ studios
• A special Flip Cover of Hot Press
• A label to release the single, with no strings attached
• A place for a band member/manager on Hot Press' MIX course including consultation with industry experts
• €4,000 worth of Guitars from Fender
• €4,000 worth of Drums & Keyboards from Yamaha
• €3,000 Gift Voucher from Walton's Music
Regional Winners' prize package will include:
• To join the line-up for Arthur's Day in one of four locations across Ireland
• An in-studio session for broadcast by RTÉ 2fm, to stream on hotpress.com and for the acts' own use.
• To feature on a special Flip Cover of Hot Press including full professional photo session and interview.
"We're really thrilled that there has been such a fantastic reaction to the competition," said Sarah Acton of Guinness.
"It reflects the extraordinary wealth of talent that exists in Ireland at the moment, which is hugely encouraging for the future of music here.
"We are really pleased to be able to offer a platform for the very best of this talent on Arthur's Day, which takes place on Thursday September 22. It is going to be a fantastic celebration."
