GIT AWARD 2015 - ‘One to Watch' winner named ahead of Merseyside bash

GIT AWARD 2015 - ‘One to Watch' winner named ahead of Merseyside bash

With just days to go until the winner of Liverpool’s GIT Award 2015 is announced at the city’s Kazimier venue on Saturday 4 April, organisers can reveal the winner of the One to Watch prize is 23-year-old rock and roller Louis Berry.

Huyton-born Louis Berry wins this year’s One To Watch Prize, which is awarded to one emerging artist and selected by the Merseyside  judging panel, having released just one track to date - yet was named Radio 1’s ‘hottest record in the world right now.’

Described by Getintothis’ Peter Guy as ‘channelling the energy of Jerry Lee Lewis through the story-telling of Dylan’, Berry follows on from the inaugural One To Watch winner Låpsley who has gone on to sign a deal with XL Recordings and release her critically-acclaimed debut EP earlier this year.

Berry’s debut offering .45 was tipped by national print press and radio and after playing just two gigs he signed a contract at each; a publishing deal following an explosive BBC Introducing set and recording terms after lighting up East Village Arts Club.

Louis has recently been in London recording more tracks ahead of a first full release. Berry will celebrate his One To Watch win with a live performance at the GIT Award 2015 ceremony on Saturday April 4.

The nominees for the main award are All We Are, Circa Waves, D R O H N E, Gulf, Hooton Tennis Club, Roxanne Jones, Låpsley, Esa Shields, Sundowners, Xam Volo, Jane Weaver and We Are Catchers.

Nine of these will feature in live performances plus specially created visuals at the Kazimier, transformed into an Aztec Jungle for one night only, alongside one-off performances and DJ sets.

The GIT Award this year will be hosted by Impropriety, Liverpool’s premier improvisational comedy group.

Angie Waller, of Impropriety, said: "Impropriety are overjoyed to be hosting this year's GIT Award. In our true style expect irreverent introductions and heroic stupidity galore."

This year, the Kazimier will transform their unique venue into an exotic Aztec Jungle, with guests encouraged to embrace the theme and dress the part for this invite only event.

The evening will also include entertainment from the spectacular Batala drummers, Arkopsy’s in-house jam band and the Krukthrust DJs.

GIT Award show producer, Joel Murray said: "The GIT Award represents a kaleidoscopic of music from the Liverpool scene - it has given much desired attention to so many emerging and experimental acts that otherwise maybe would not be given the recognition they deserve. It's a pleasure to be working with such talents."

Now in its fourth consecutive year, The GIT (Getintothis) Award, champions the best of Merseyside music providing a snapshot of the year in music, recognising significant artistic achievement across a range of musical styles.

This year’s shortlist was selected by national industry figureheads consisting of Bella Union Records’ Simon Raymonde, The Quietus editor John Doran, Heavenly Recordings’ boss Jeff Barrett, UK Music’s Dot Levine, author and journalist Simon Price, 4AD Records’ Rich Walker, Clash Magazine editor Robin Murray, Jarri Van der Haegen, editor of Belgian buzz blog Disco Naivete, XFM deputy programme manager Mike Walsh and Amazing Radio’s Shell Zenner.

The judging panel was completed by respected Merseyside music players including Liverpool Music Week director Mike Deane, Arts Club manager Victoria Smith, Sound City and Club EVOL promoter Steve Miller, Liverpool International Music Festival curator Yaw Owusu, Bido Lito! editor Christopher Torpey – and GIT Award founder and Liverpool Echo journalist, Peter Guy.

Also on the night, a special Inspiration Award, recognising services to Liverpool’s music industry will also be presented. Previous recipients are Africa Oye (2014), Hillsborough Justice Collective (2013) and The Kazimier (2012).

All awards on the night plus unique commemorative mementoes for all 12 nominees will be created by Liverpool design agency ArchiPhonic while Liverpool Craft Beer will provide refreshments.

GIT Award founder Peter Guy added: “This year’s GIT Award is the most exciting yet – not only have we ten first-time nominees but we’ve a show of great ambition and the Inspiration Award will resonate with not just Scousers but music-lovers around the country. Saturday’s show at the Kazimier is going to be a night that lives long in the memory – the whole of Liverpool will be watching.”

For all other details: www.getintothis.co.uk

GIT Award 2015 Shortlist Revealed Ahead Of Spectacular Ceremony At The Kazimier

GIT Award 2015 Shortlist Revealed Ahead Of Spectacular Ceremony At The Kazimier

General manager at 4AD Records and GIT Award 2015 judge, Rich Walker, said: “What a great award to be asked to help judge. Working at 4AD, there’s never a shortage of new music to listen to but I’ve particularly enjoyed discovering what a fertile and supportive scene Liverpool currently has. More cities really should copy the GIT template and do their own award.”

Now in its fourth consecutive year, The GIT (Getintothis) Award, champions the best of Merseyside music providing a snapshot of the year while recognising significant artistic achievement across a range of musical styles.

And the 2015 shortlist is no different...

From Double Six-signed groove funk trio All We Are to Transgressive Records’ rock and rollers Circa Waves through to surf-pop Domino signees We Are Catchers; Tim Burgess-affiliated electro duo D R O H N E, XL Recordings hype star Låpsley, swaggering Heavenly Recordings’ slouchers Hooton Tennis Club and Wire Magazine-endorsed enigma Esa Shields; emerging soul-pop diva Roxanne Jones, Finders Keepers-signed cosmic singer-songwriter Jane Weaver, swirling UK buzz band Gulf, Skeleton Key Records’ revellers Sundowners and neo-soul rising star Xam Volo – this year’s GIT Award shortlist represents a kaleidoscopic musical picture few cities in the world could match.

This year’s shortlist was selected by national industry figureheads consisting of Bella Union Records’ Simon Raymonde, The Quietus editor John Doran, Heavenly Recordings’ boss Jeff Barrett, UK Music’s Dot Levine, author and journalist Simon Price, 4AD Records’ Rich Walker, Clash Magazine editor Robin Murray, Jarri Van der Haegen, editor of Belgian buzz blog Disco Naivete, XFM deputy programme manager Mike Walsh and Amazing Radio’s Shell Zenner.

The judging panel was completed by respected Merseyside music players including Liverpool Music Week director Mike Deane, Arts Club manager Victoria Smith, Sound City and Club EVOL promoter Steve Miller, Liverpool International Music Festival curator Yaw Owusu, Bido Lito! editor Christopher Torpey – and GIT Award founder and Liverpool Echo journalist, Peter Guy.

Reflecting on this year’s shortlist, Dot Levine, from UK Music, said: "It was a huge honour to be a GIT Award judge. The standard in Merseyside is exceptionally high and we have heard some incredible music. It was a very difficult task choosing the shortlist - but boy did I enjoy the debates!

“The whole process for the Award has been brilliant. As a national judge, who attended an evening of debate in Liverpool, just being surrounded by some of the most engaging and inspiring music lovers based in the north west was a great moment for me."

Dubbed ‘the Scouse Mercury Prize,’ backed by Yoko Ono and the cornerstones of Merseyside’s flourishing cultural community, the winner of the GIT Award 2015 will be revealed on Saturday 4 April 2015 at The Kazimier in Wolstenholme Square. Like previous years, the winner will receive a specially commissioned trophy and cheque for £1,000.

Having relaunched for the fourth year at Liverpool Music Week in November 2014 up until the closing date at the end of January 2015, the GIT Award judges met on six occasions, discussing more than 330 eligible artists and bands, before carefully whittling them down to just 12.

Those 12 will now feature at the industry showcase on Saturday 4 April 2015 and will include performances from the shortlisted artists plus a dramatic aftershow featuring live music, DJs and specially produced set piece spectacles.

This year, a specially commissioned Merseyside team will transform the unique setting of the Kazimier into an Aztec Jungle while 50 lucky souls will also have the chance to log on to the Kazimier website and obtain a pass to this once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Also on the night, a special Inspiration Award, recognising services to Liverpool’s music industry will also be presented. Previous recipients are Africa Oye (2014), Hillsborough Justice Collective (2013) and The Kazimier (2012).

Bella Union boss and GIT Award judge Simon Raymonde, added: "The waiting is almost over. The GIT Award shortlist is now finalised – and what a near-impossible job that was! You have 12 outstanding talents, all equally deserving of the Award. Quite how we will whittle this down to one I don't know but the good news is that whoever does win will be a beacon of light for all future artists from the area. April 4, The Kazimier - enter it into your phone now.”

All awards on the night plus unique commemorative mementoes for all 12 nominees will be created by Liverpool design agency ArchiPhonic who have overseen projects in the Baltic Triangle

GIT Award founder and chair of judges, Peter Guy, said: “The GIT Award 2015 shortlist represents a new phase in Liverpool and the wider region’s artistic development; these artists are creating new sounds quite unlike any other and surpassing most other cities in the world. This year there’s 10 brand new names on the shortlist selected by judges who travelled from all corners of the UK to Liverpool to listen to them and deliver the final shortlist - it proves what a vital time in Merseyside music’s history this truly is. Saturday April 4 at the Kazimier is set to be another monumental occasion.”

Limited tickets and event link: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/308044

For all other details: www.getintothis.co.uk