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Irish Youth Music Awards

BELFAST HEAT FRIDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2010

FRIDAY WAS THE FIRST TIME THE IYMA'S HAD A HEAT IN BELFAST AND YOUTHACTION N.I ARE HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED WITH GARAGELAND AND YOUTH WORK IRELAND IN THIS NATIONWIDE STRATEGY TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE ALL OVER IRELAND IN THEIR CREATIVE EFFORTS.

THE EVENT INVITED ANY YOUNG PERSON AGED 12-19YEARS (FOR BAND/ GROUP AVERAGE AGE TO BE 19YEARS) MAKING THEIR OWN ORIGINAL MUSIC TO ENTER.
WE WERE DELIGHTED TO HAVE NASHVILLE SINGER-SONGWRITER GARY JACKSON OPEN THE EVENT WITH ONE OF HIS OWN SONGS AND TO PROVIDE SOME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND INSPIRATION TO THE YOUNG MUSIC ARTISTS.

WE HAD FIVE AWESOME MUSIC ARTISTS WHO ENTERTAINED US WITH THEIR MUSICAL TALENTS.

1. DROP CHECK
2. HELLO ESKIMO
3. PETER RAINEY
4. HIGH-OUTPUT
5. THE ELEMENT

EACH ACT SANG ONE OR TWO ORIGINAL SONGS AND A COVER TRACK IF THEY WANTED.
AT THE EVENT WE HAD 4 JUDGES WHO GIVE THE ARTISTS CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK AFTER THEIR PERFORMANCES.
1. DAVID GOULD - Chairman of Youth Action and works with Young People to develop musical song writing and recording skills.

2. EMMA REYNOLDS - who is a successful singer and came 4th in Eurosong 2001.

3. ALAN GRATTAN- lecturer in Youth Work at Southampton University and organises the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival.

4. RYAN MURRAY- from JCI Belfast and YouthAction N.I is their chosen charity this year.

THE AUDIENCE, ACTS AND JUDGES ALL VOTED. THE WINNERS WERE:
FAVOURITE ARTIST WAS HIGH-OUTPUT: A FIVE PIECE BAND FROM BELFAST WHO SANG 2 ORIGINAL SONGS CALLED HERE IT COMES AND FAREWELL MY FRIEND AND A MEGAMIX OF COVER SONGS.
FAVOURITE SONG WAS HERE WITH YOU WRITTEN AND SANG BY PETER RAINEY.
HIGH-OUTPUT WILL REPRESENT BELFAST AT THE FINAL IN DUBLIN 24TH APRIL 2010.
THEY WILL BE SINGING THEIR SONG HERE IT COMES, BUT ALSO WILL SING PETER RAINEY's HERE WITH YOU. PETER AND HIGH OUTPUT WILL WORK TOGETHER TO DECIDE HOW THIS SONG SHOULD BE PERFORMED.
OVERALL A SUBERB EVENING OF GREAT MUSIC AND TALENT!

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT ANDREW MCSWIGAN, OUR LOVELY HOSTS ASHLEY HOLMES AND MARK REVELS AND OUR BEAUTIFUL TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS.

BY HOLLY MEADOWS AND MARTIN MCMULLAN.

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