Music
Meet the A Shot at Discovery finalists: Newcastle
Meet the Newcastle finalists for The Pogues Irish Whiskey Presents: A Shot at Discovery ahead of the regional heats.
The Pogues Irish Whiskey have teamed up with Academy Music Group, the people behind all of those iconic live music venues across the UK, to award one unsigned band with a huge prize. The national winner will enjoy £3000 towards new instruments, studio time with The Pogues as guest producers, live opportunities and management services, plus much more.
With the regional finals kicking off on Sunday 5 March, we’ll be bringing you an introduction to each of the bands scheduled to play.
See all of our A Shot at Discovery coverage here.
Here are the Liverpool finalists, who will take to the O2 Academy 2 on Wednesday 15 March. You can grab tickets here.
Edenthorn
Edenthorn is an alt-rock band infused with grunge and influenced by the likes of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. That’s not all there is to them, however. They also take inspiration from bands such as Biffy Clyro, Matchbox 20, Incubus and many more, blending their sound into something distinctly theirs. This Durham four-piece released their debut album, The Maze, in 2015 and have since supported Skarlett Riot, The Raven Age and Fort Hope.
Better Days
With only a year under their belt, pop punks Better Days, are already making waves. Since forming in late February last year, this band have already gained a loyal fan base and toured the UK, playing numerous shows. Not to mention how well their debut single was received. Better Days have already been described as a fresh take on pop punk which combines all the elements of the early 2000’s era and the upcoming new breed. Then there’s the fact that they’ve also shared the stage with Less Than Jake, Mariachi El Bronx, The Skints and more.
Enversa
Enversa aren’t just your average melodic metal band. This five-piece from Newcastle takes huge riffs, combining them with vocal melodies to take their distinct sound to another level. A sound that is heavy and dark, but uplifting and beautiful at the same time. Their debut EP, Suffer Survive, was released last year.
Hivemind
Hailing from Sunderland, Hivemind is a four-piece outfit that’s all about creating powerful songs. Then again with their list of influences, how could they not be? Inspired by titans such as Muse, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Led Zeppelin and Rage Against the Machine, they’re stepping outside the box to create music that commands your attention. Their live shows are also captivating, as they throw legendary rock riffs in between their own songs.
Cactusman
Tyne & Wear band, Cactusman, have certainly faced their share of challenges to get where they are today. After their initial split in 1998, brought on by Oscar-nominated Peter Straughan’s departure, a chance meeting in 2014 saw them reunited again. Due to musical differences, original vocalist Alan left shortly after reforming. That’s where Bethany Walker came into play. With her beautiful voice and two new additions, in the form of Ian’s kids, the band moves forward with new material and new vigour.
Many Moons
Many Moons, brainchild of Patrick Kelly, is a Newcastle-based band. Kelly, a Northern Irish singer songwriter, started the band as a creative outlet for music and performance art created by himself and anyone else he creates, records and performs with. They’re now looking forward to their debut EP, as well as making their mark on the music scene.
Digits
Exploding from the scene that gave rise to Biffy Clyro, Hell is For Heroes and Reuben and Hundred Reasons, Digits are authentic outsider-rock with one ear firmly on the melody. The band not only released one but two critically acclaimed EP’s, earning themselves 7/10 from Rock Sound magazine for 2015’s Footprints & Embers. Sadly the band was all but laid to rest in the summer of 2016, but with renewed interest, they have picked up where they left off, ready to return to the scene this year.
Find out more about the Pogues Irish Whiskey: A Shot At Discovery competition over on the Academy Music Group website.
Grab tickets to all of the A Shot At Discovery regional finals through our friends over at TicketWeb.
