TOP NI BANDS BATTLE IT OUT FOR ARTHUR'S DAY SPOTLIGHT

Guinness® & Co have announced the 6 lucky bands who have been selected for the Belfast regional showcase of the ‘Our Thursdays’ competition. As part of this year’s Arthur’s Day® celebrations, ‘Our Thursdays’ is on the look out for emerging talent all over Ireland to offer them the incredible opportunity to be part of the Arthur’s Day line up on September 23^rd.

Since July, hopeful bands have been performing in pubs every week all around the country at the Guinness ‘Our Thursdays’ pub showcases where the public decided, via text vote, who would go through each week. The bands that received the most votes at the end of each pub showcase have been named as the official Arthur’s Day artist in that bar on 23^rd September.

What's more, a team of music industry experts including members of Snow Patrol, have had the unenviable task of listening to all the pub showcase winners from around the country and have now whittled it down to the best 24, 6 of who will play at the Belfast regional showcase in The Empire, Belfast on 26^th August.

The Belfast Regional Showcase Details:

Date & Location: The Empire, Belfast, this Thursday, 26th August

The 6 Bands:

1. Bettylee &The Blonde (Limavady)
2. Naoimh O'Hagan (Belfast)
3. Picture the Sound (Ballymoney)
4. Shouting at Planes (Cavan)
5. Escape Fails (Belfast)
6. The Empire Saints (Bray)

This event is open to the public and entry is free of charge.

From the regional showcases, four lucky bands will be selected to perform at the national showcase which will take place in Lavery's, Belfast on 9th September.

At this showcase, the team of music industry experts will deliberate and decide on the three bands that will play in Galway, Cork and at St James’s Gate Brewery on Arthur’s Day alongside amazing international artists including Snow Patrol.

As well as this incredible opportunity to showcase their talent in front of thousands of music lovers, these lucky bands will also receive studio recording time, a digital release and will find themselves on the cover of Hot Press magazine in a special Our Thursdays feature.

For detailed information about Arthur’s Day and Our Thursdays visit www.guinness.com

Our Thursdays events and Arthur’s Day celebrations are strictly over 18’s events.

Drink Responsibly. Visit drinkaware.co.uk

The GUINNESS and ARTHUR’S DAY words and associated logos are trade marks.

The Our Thursdays judges include;

• Snow Patrol band member
• Niall Morris, Booker, MCD
• David Harris, Head of Marketing, Universal Music
• Niall Stokes, Editor, Hot Press
• Matt Cook, Director of Talent, MTV Europe
• Mark Kavanagh, Music Editor, The Star
• Alan Steel, Arthur’s Day Talent Booker, Freud Communications
• *Subject to availability

Biographies of Shortlisted Bands for Belfast Regional Showcase:

Bettylee & the Blonde

Leanne and Ashleen have been playing together for years. In Jan 2009 they formed Bettylee and the Blonde with Don Reilly on bass and more recently Jonathan Lynn joining on Drums. After four weeks and two gigs booked, both Victory and Not Lookin For Love reached No.2 on NiChart.com. The Bettylee and the Blonde sound is pretty unusual and is influenced by far too many to mention. Bettylee and the Blonde made the final four bands of a competition trying to win a record contract and publishing deal with Belfast Label Audio Ill and made the live finals of the BT Sounds like Summer heats In 2009 and 2010.

Naoimh O'Hagan

Naoimh O’Hagan is a Northern Irish based singer songwriter. Naoimh finds serenity in simplicity; striking a fine balance between economical song-writing and melodic indulgence, she creates music that seductively weaves around you like a cool breeze, before permeating the very core of your heart. The whimsical life-affirming spirit of her music invokes the sensation of carelessly floating down the calmest of rivers. She has garnered significant praise from various high-profile local contemporaries, such as Cat Malojian and Grammy-nominated Ciaran Gribbin, A.K.A. Joe Echo. Naoimh has her ego firmly planted on the ground, but her ambitions are floating somewhere amongst the clouds.

Picture the Sound

Picture the Sound is five-piece live band from Ballymoney with a huge passion for music from all genres which they incorporate into their sound. The band is currently unsigned but active on the live circuit and has recorded four tracks: Lights in Space, Home, Cover It In Blue and James Dean which are all available to listen to on MySpace.

Shouting at Planes

“Shouting at Planes” is a group of young but established musicians, who've come together to define and develop an original sound that mirrors their considerably broad tastes. With influences from rock, blues, indie and jazz genres, this band has established a sound that peaks ears, turns heads, and never fails to draw a crowd. Having two lead vocalists who share the opportunity to bellow spine-tingling lyrics and harmonies and with the luxury of saxophone and trumpet as accompaniments, a performance big and bold enough to resonate beyond the highest flying aircrafts is guaranteed.

Escape Fails

Escape Fails are a five-piece metal, rock and pop act from Belfast. They are currently unsigned but are active on the live circuit and have recently recorded a new song Annexed, which is available to download and listen on MySpace.

Empire Saints

Empire Saints were formed in 2008 by brothers Fiachra & Uisneagh Treacy. Shortly after, long-time friend Noel Healy, drummer & co-songwriter joined the Saints along with Pete Cheevers. Empire Saints have headlined gigs in some very prestigious venues even at this early stage in their career including the Sugar Club and Whelan’s in Dublin and The Hope and Anchor in London. Empire Saints were also shortlisted in Hot Press’s “London Calling” competition with the top prize of playing in front of 20,000 people in Trafalgar Square at the St. Patrick’s Festival. The band was selected because of the video for “Float On”, which has been selected for the 2010 BORNSHORTS Film Festival in Denmark in August 2010.

GUINNESS® & CO announced that the much anticipated Arthur’s Day tickets are now on sale from www.ticketmaster.ie. Ticket proceeds will benefit the Arthur Guinness Fund which is helping Irish social entrepreneurs to deliver transformational change in communities across the island of Ireland.

The Killers’ Brandon Flowers tops the list of over 20 more artists who have been added to the star studded line up including Newton Faulkner, Plan B, KT Tunstall and Kelis who will perform on Arthur’s Day, 23^rd September, alongside home grown phenomenon Snow Patrol, multi-platinum artist Paolo Nutini, the internationally acclaimed José González and The Magic Numbers.

New additions to the Arthur’s Day line up:

Studio Artists                                                   Pub Artists

(See editor’s notes for all artists and venues announced to date)

The pub will again be at the heart of the celebrations with 28 pub venues hosting one of the fantastic pub artists who will kick off the celebrations after the toast to Arthur Guinness at 17.59. Pub ticket holders will also get the opportunity to witness surprise performances from one of the amazing studio artists on the line up in the intimate surroundings of a pub on the night.

Studio ticket holders will enjoy up to five amazing international and Irish artists performing at each studio venue including St. James’s Gate Brewery, Vicar St, The Village, The Academy, Olympia Theatre in Dublin and Savoy in Cork.  GUINNESS & CO has also revealed that an outdoor music event will take place at Folan Quay at Galway Harbour* as part of the Arthur’s Day celebrations in September

Speaking at the Arthur’s Day announcement, Orla Flanagan, Guinness Brand Manager said “We are delighted to add more fantastic artists to our Arthur’s Day line up. Studio tickets to last year’s Arthur’s Day celebrations last year sold out in one hour so we are anticipating huge interest again tomorrow morning. With the great acts who are involved in Arthur’s Day this year, the 23^rd of September looks set to be another remarkable celebration of Arthur Guinness and his lasting legacy. I’m really looking forward to raising a glass to the man himself on the day”.

The Arthur's Day celebrations will begin at 17:59 on 23rd September in St James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, when Arthur’s Day will once again see the nation enjoy some of the world’s most established music artists play in great pubs and venues all over the country, while raising a glass to Arthur Guinness and his lasting legacy.

Arthur’s Day honours the remarkable legacy of Arthur Guinness, the pioneering brewer and philanthropist who signed the 9,000 year lease on the St. James’s Gate Brewery in 1759 and introduced GUINNESS to the world.

Tickets can be purchased by logging onto www.ticketmaster.ie at 9am on 29th July and you can check out www.guinness.com for up to date venue and artist information.  Studio tickets and the outdoor Galway music event will cost €10 and the 28 pub venues will cost €5 with proceeds from all Arthur’s Day ticket sales benefiting the Arthur Guinness Fund

Arthur’s Day celebrations are strictly over 18’s events.

Drink Responsibly

www.drinkaware.co.uk for the facts

NEW Arthur’s Day Studio artists               NEW Arthur’s Day Pub artists

Previously announced studio artists         Previously announced Pub artists:

Arthur’s Day Studio and Pub Venues*

* Subject to licence

GUINNESS WANTS NI MUSIC ACTS TO JOIN ARTHUR'S DAY CELEBRATIONS

Today, Thursday 3rd June: After much public anticipation, today GUINNESS® & CO confirmed that Arthur's Day is back this year with events taking place in Dublin, Cork and Galway as well as other festivities happening throughout the country on Thursday, 23rd September.

Arthur's Day honours the remarkable legacy of Arthur Guinness, the pioneering brewer and philanthropist who signed the 9,000 year lease on the St. James's Gate Brewery in 1759 and introduced GUINNESS to the world.

Last year's Arthur's Day celebrations captured the imagination of the entire nation with thousands of people across Northern Ireland joining artists and celebrities to celebrate the peak of the Guinness 250th Celebrations at St James's Gate Brewery and in pubs and music venues in Dublin and around the world. Thousands more signed an online petition to make Arthur's Day a public holiday, while others organised their own celebrations in pubs all over the country.

The worldwide celebration will begin at 17:59 (GMT) in Ireland, when Arthur's Day will once again see the nation witness some of the world's most established music artists play in great pubs and venues, while raising a glass to Arthur Guinness and his lasting legacy. GUINNESS fans around the world will join in on the celebrations at 17.59 local time in the Caribbean, Africa, USA, Asia and throughout Europe.

This year's celebrations will see one-off performances in unique locations from some of the worlds most established recording artists, including home grown global phenomenon Snow Patrol, multi-platinum artist Paolo Nutini, the internationally acclaimed José González, crowd favourites The Magic Numbers and Sharon Shannon and some of the best emerging stars of today including The View, Jay Sean, The Hoosiers, Slow Club, The Maccabees, and We Have Band. Over the summer months there will be over 40 more amazing acts announced.

Not content with Arthur's Day expanding to other Irish cities, GUINNESS & CO is also looking for 100 up and coming Irish acts to be part of the Arthur's Day line up on 23rd September.

Every Thursday from mid July through to early August, GUINNESS & CO. will be running music events, called 'Our Thursdays', in pubs across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, giving emerging Irish music acts the opportunity to showcase their talents.

From the 100 emerging acts, three will be chosen to play in Galway, Cork and in Hopstore 13 at St James's Gate Brewery on Arthur's Day alongside amazing international artists including Snow Patrol. Bands that want to be part of 'Our Thursdays' should log onto www.guinness.com/ourthursdays

Speaking at the launch of Arthur's Day 2010, Tanya Clarke, Head of Guinness Marketing, said, "Arthur's Day was designed to recognise a remarkable man with a remarkable legacy but we never imagined that so many people would embrace it in the way they did. From Donegal to Kerry, people made a huge effort to mark the day in their own special way."

Clarke continued, "Arthur's Day is a celebration with substance. One million people helped to create the Arthur Guinness Fund in Ireland, which has already assigned one million euros to support social entrepreneurs who are helping to drive sustainable social impact around the country. A further €1.5 million will be used to support future Irish social entrepreneurs in the coming years. We are delighted to announce details of Arthur's Day 2010, which includes exciting organised music events all over the country this year and I look forward to raising a glass to the man himself on the day."

People will get the opportunity to see some of the music industry's biggest names play together in studio venues in Dublin, Galway and Cork, while those people attending the 29 pub venues across the three cities will have the unique experience of seeing surprise performances from international artists in the intimate surroundings of a traditional pub.

Proceeds from all Arthur's Day ticket sales will be donated to the Arthur Guinness Fund and ticket information will be announced in mid July.