The GIT AWARD 2012 is here. After months of anticipation, Liverpool’s music scene unites at Leaf to celebrate the finest sounds on Merseyside.
It has been a significant year for musical creativity and diversity on Merseyside and one standout act from the region will be recognised tonight when the winner of the inaugural GIT Award 2012 will be revealed.
Tonight, the winner of The GIT Award 2012 will be announced at Leaf on Bold Street, where 10 of the shortlisted artists will perform, while Bill Ryder-Jones presents an exclusive look at his new film.
All 12 artists will feature exclusive sounds and videos from their outstanding catalogue while a special – as yet unannounced feature will be presented later in the evening.
The night will be filmed exclusively by Mocha and Liverpool Football Club TV. Journalist and Goldblade musician John Robb will host the evening.
Since its launch at Liverpool Music Week‘s closing party in November 2011 up until the closing date at the end of February 2012, the GIT Award received more than 380 entries.
The shortlist was then decided by a judging panel comprising top names from Liverpool Football Club, NME, Vice Magazine, The Quietus and The Guardian alongside the cornerstones of the region’s music scene – Getintothis, Bido Lito Magazine, Waxxx and EVOL. Now six months since its launch the time has come for the winner to be announced.
Ten of the 12 nominees will be performing on the night with exclusive new music and videos accompanying their display. Accompanying them will be a host of DJs including, Chew Disco (Emma Obong and Khalil West), Daniel Hunt (Ladytron) and Absense (Waxxx resident DJ). Milk Productions, on Bold Street, are also making a commemorative memento for each of the nominees.
The GIT Award, named after Liverpool music blog Getintothis and dubbed by the national music press as the Scouse Mercury Prize, celebrates the finest new recordings in the last 12 months on Merseyside.
The GIT Award 2012 shortlist is:
Bang On
Ex-Easter Island Head
Forest Swords
Loved Ones
Miss Stylie
Mugstar
Outfit
Ninetails
Bill Ryder-Jones
Stealing Sheep
The Tea Street Band
Esco Williams
GIT Award founder and chair of judges, Peter Guy, said: ‘The first GIT Award shortlist highlights the wealth of new musical talent within Merseyside. The artists are ambitious and inventive, emotional and passionate, funny and profound. They evoke a sense of time and place, providing a wonderful snapshot of Merseyside’s varied sonic landscape proving why Liverpool is still the centre of the music universe.‘
The winner will receive an incredible prize which includes recording time at Liverpool’s Sandhills Studio and a showcase at this year’s Liverpool Sound City and Liverpool Music Week. The winners will also play a gig at Vice Magazine‘s London bar The Old Blue Last, as well as having a promo shot by Virgin Media Shorts filmmaker of the Year nominee Ian Gamester to be screened at FACT, the city’s art house cinema and creative technologies centre.
The designer of the award itself is Sam Venables of The Royal Standard – an artist-led gallery, studios and social workspace in Liverpool.
Dave Pichilingi, CEO Liverpool Sound City, said: ‘Sound City has always championed the vast pool of talent from Liverpool, and having worked with Getintothis since our formation in 2007, the GIT Award represents the perfect showcase to celebrate new music.‘
Kevin McManus, former NME journalist and director at Liverpool Vision, said: ‘We’re really happy to support the GIT Award. Liverpool has a worldwide reputation for its creativity and continuing to produce some of the UK’s best music and most innovative music businesses. The GIT Award gives new talent an important platform and provides well deserved recognition for new acts breaking through.’
Matt Wilkinson, NME radar editor, said: ‘I’m really excited to be on the panel for the GIT Award. Liverpool and its surrounding areas are offering up some of the most exciting and diverse music around at present. I can’t wait to get stuck into the shortlist and find a winner.‘
For exclusive Getintothis interviews with each of the 12 shortlisted artists, plus music and videos click on each of their names.
Bang On
Ex-Easter Island Head
Forest Swords
Loved Ones
Miss Stylie
Mugstar
Outfit
Ninetails
Bill Ryder-Jones
Stealing Sheep
The Tea Street Band
Esco Williams
Sponsors
A stellar list of sponsors, both from inside and outside the music community, have added their considerable cultural and commercial heft in supporting the inaugural GIT Award, including: Liverpool Sound City, Liverpool Music Week, Cream, Creamfields, Vice Magazine, The Quietus, Liverpool Vision, ACME, It’s Liverpool, Liverpool City Council, Culture Liverpool, FACT Cinema and Art Gallery, Liverpool Museum, Bill Elms Associates Ltd, Probe Records, Bido Lito! Magazine, WAXXX, Sandhills Recording Studios, Elevator Studios, The Motor Museum Recording Studios, Dawsons, Horse Design, Resurrection, Lost Art, Weavers Door, Bold Street Coffee, The Green Cauldron, Cains Brewery, The Bluecoat, Static Gallery, The Masque, Leaf, Sentric, CMU Daily, EVOL, Mellotone, Harvest Sun, Samizdat, Behind The Wall Of Sleep, Another Media, Obscenic, Mercy, Hive Collective, New Noise, UR BEATZ, Seven Streets, Liverpool Live, Liverpool Acoustic, Liverpool Philharmonic and LIPA.
For a full piece on how Liverpool’s creative and business sector backed the GIT Award read here.
The GIT Award Judges:
Joshua Burke is co-founder of Liverpool lifestyle magazine Waxxx. Running house parties and spin-off events around the city, Waxxx has stamped itself at the forefront of the independent scene.
Andy Capper is global editor of Vice Magazine. Born in Southport, Capper has freelanced for The Guardian, Observer and NME while producing documentaries and releasing music for Vice Records.
John Doran is editor of the internet music magazine The Quietus. He also writes for The Stool Pigeon, VICE, NME and Metal Hammer.
Peter Guy is a journalist at the Liverpool Post & Echo – and founder of the GIT Award. For the last five years Peter’s blog, Getintothis, has charted the highs and lows of music on a regional and national while acting as media partner with Sound City and Liverpool Music.
Steve Miller is Liverpool-based promoter behind EVOL. For eight years, Steve or ‘Revo’ has showcased the cream of under the radar talent and blockbuster headliners while becoming the programmer for Liverpool Sound City.
Craig G Pennington is the Editor of Bido Lito! – The Liverpool Music Magazine. Since it emerged in May 2010, the magazine has established itself at the forefront of new music on Merseyside.
Paul Rogers is a former music journalist and Head of Content at Liverpool Football Club, overseeing the editorial direction of the club’s website, TV, mobile and social media platforms.
Alexandra Topping is a Skelmersdale-born journalist for the Guardian who writes about everything from gang violence to pop music.
Matt Wilkinson is NME‘s New Music Editor. He edits the Radar section both in the magazine and online at NME.COM bringing new and unsigned acts to the fore.
Why there’s no better time for the GIT Award.
Good luck to all the artists – and thanks to all those that have lent their support.
PG
