Hunt is on to unearth cream of
Irish talent
 By Elaine Sheridan
Are you the next Oasis? Definitely, maybe…
Well now is your chance to prove it as the search is under way with Manchester’s
Young, Gifted and Green competition to find the city’s next big
thing.
Organisers of the Levenshulme-based contest want to find a band with Irish
links who can emulate the success of the now famous Gallagher brothers.
Now in its 12th year, the contest — which was started by local Irishman
Tony Hennigan who runs various music venues in Manchester — has
uncovered a number of big bands.
Tony said: “It all started when a demo tape from the then unknown
Irish Mancunian band called Oasis came through the door. It was that which
led to us organising the annual talent competition which aims to uncover
the next world conquering super-group.
“Listening to their tape I knew straight away that they were going
to be huge — they had something special about them.”
It was from that experience that Young, Gifted and Green was born.
The talent contest — sponsored by Boddingtons UGG — will award
£1,000 worth of prizes including four days recording time at the
studio where Oasis got their first taste of the high life.
It is open to all musical styles but bands hoping to enter must have at
least one member of the group who is Irish or has Irish roots.
Last year’s winners were Didsbury-based band The Times who have
their roots in Co. Donegal.
The band has since received huge interest from various record companies
and has attracted media attention throughout the North west. They have
also recorded an EP called Get With The Times which has been launched
and is on sale at HMV.
Tony said: “It’s a top prize to win. There’s so much
talent out there which needs to be discovered and nurtured. We usually
get over 200 entries and we’ll pick the best 18 or so. Then we’ll
whittle it down to three heats with the grand finale taking place on St.
Patrick’s Day eve.”
Heats start on Thursday, December 21 and run until February 2007 at the
newly-refurbished Packhorse Pub in Levenshulme.
Tony added: “The great thing about Oasis is that they never forgot
their roots or who they are.
“The Packhorse used to be their local although they don’t
come in as much these days. But they still send some of the regulars tickets
for gigs and concerts.”
The Young, Gifted and Green UGG competition is one of the highlights of
the two-week-long Manchester Irish Festival which runs from March 3-18,
2007.
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