News
Stars of the future get festival fever
1 September 2008
Take it away's competition this year to find our ‘Most Musical City' featured an added incentive - unsigned acts from across the country could register their support and be in with a chance of representing their home city at a leading UK festival this summer, playing live to 5,000 people.
Hundreds of entries, featuring everything from folk to metal and electronica, were received, and the following diverse acts were chosen by our panel to perform at September's ‘End of the Road Festival' in Dorset.
The Affection
Hailing from our ‘Most Musical City', Liverpool band The Affection are ready to take their music to the masses. Take it away wasn't an option to budding musicians ten years ago with lead singer Chris Jones' first guitar being found at a car boot sale when he was 14. So, what's his advice to anyone who has just picked up their first instrument? “Just keep playing. Learn your favourite songs and then write your own.”
The sound of The Affection is straight out of the British indie-rock tradition, yet what set them apart for the judges was the band's rare mix of classic Scouse pop and US rock.
Electric Tape Recorder
Phil McDonald is the unique solo artist performing under the guise of Electric Tape Recorder, and is representing our ‘Runner Up' city, Sheffield. Phil is already a gig veteran having supported members of Carter USM and Inspiral Carpets, as well as The Avalanches. Not bad for someone who got their first keyboard for Christmas aged thirteen.
"I used it until it broke. My advice to anyone picking up an instrument is to have no pre-conceptions – just enjoy it. Listen to the artists you love and don't take yourself too seriously."
Bianca Bohl
The 27 year old Berliner moved to London three years ago - "I came to London as it was my Most Musical City." Bianca beat off the challenge of hundreds of other acts, becoming the run away winner of 'The Best of the Rest' category.
"I'm going to take over the world now!" she cries in fits of laughter. Her appearance at End of the Road looks like being the first step.
We wish all of the acts well as they prepare for their performances at the End of the Road Festival. We'll be featuring them again in a future issue of our e-bulletin and will let you know how they got on with the festival crowds.
And finally, we hope our 25 competition winners who each won a pair of tickets to the festival in a previous Take it away giveaway also have an amazing time!
