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Necessity is the mother of Invention… The recession brings with it the birth of a new era in Irish Talent

26/01/2011

Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past few years I'm sure you are aware that we are currently in the middle of a recession. And although it may seem all doom and gloom, surprisingly not every facet of Irish culture has suffered. While the economy has been in utter turmoil and the financial crisis grows worse each day, the Irish music industry has seen the exciting birth of a new wave of Irish musicians and music. Now, more than ever, we need inspiring new music to drown out the cries of our empty wallets and just as needed we have delivered.

Repression, in this case financial, elicits creativity and one need look no further than the Emerging Talent section of the AMA Music Agency's website to find an abundance of phenomenally original Irish talent which has rose to the forefront of the international music scene due to the extraordinary uniqueness of these exceptionally gifted artists.

Bat Kinane
Bat Kinane is an emerging artist from Ballyknockan, Co.Wicklow who, as well as solo artist, is guitarist and songwriter in highly acclaimed Irish rock band Glyde who have toured Europe many times and have opened for top international acts like Slash and Metallica. During some off time from Glyder Bat continued to pursue his passion for creating music. The end result is an eclectic album of rock, folk and blues called “A lifetime to Kill” which critics have praised as being “a fantastic and welcome change of pace from an extremely talented songwriter” (Steven Reid, Sea of Tranquility/Fireworks).

The Shoos
The Shoos caused quite a stir with the release of their single “Distance” in May 2010, which achieved widespread airplay and the band impressed with live radio sessions including Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy Show, Radio One’s Arena and Pat Kenny shows and FM104’s Strawberry Alarm to name a few. “Distance” reached number 1 in the national physical sales chart and 21 in the combined physical and download charts. The success of “Distance” attracted major label interest, including Universal Music Ireland who plan to release new material early 2011 as well as Interscope in the States which have since invited the band to LA to work with a number of producers including Warren Huart (The Fray). They spent most of October 2010 in LA and played several shows including a headline gig at the legendary Viper Room and are currently in the studio putting the finishing touches to the tracks to be included on their upcoming Universal Ireland release.

Tupelo
Tupelo

are one of the nation’s most unique bands, blending classic Irish influences and instrumentation with the less expected influence of American folk and bluegrass music. Their eclectic line-up includes banjo, fiddle, brass and double bass – all blended into a sound that is both unusual and familiar. The band have been honing their sound up and down Ireland for the past few years, playing at festivals such as the Electric Picnic and Cork Jazz and picking up fans of the stature of Dave Fanning and Imelda May. Having just released their debut album “Dirty Money”, itself coming on the back of a top ten single, Tupelo are back to doing what they do best – playing live to packed houses all over Ireland.

Keywest
With significant label interest on both sides of the Atlantic, Keywest have won many fans both in the public and the music industry and 2011 looks like being an exciting year for the band. Their 2009 single “Miss You Most” has already raised their profile when it was snapped up by the producers of the IFTA nominated RTE 2 TV series; Aislings Diary for its soundtrack in an episode, while two of the band’s other original tracks also featured in the series. The band’’s sound can best be described as LA Rock-meets-pop infused by the melting pot of raw talent that characterizes each individual. So unique is the result that the merest introduction of their sound has brought them to the attention of national TV and radio. The band has recently played on the Late Late Show and The Cafe as well as a number of national and local radio stations around Ireland and will continue to prosper both here and abroad in the coming years.

Andrew Mann
Andrew Mann is an extraordinary and exceptionally gifted Irish singer and writer who has been performing professionally around Ireland and Europe for the last six years. After writing literally hundreds of songs over the last ten years he has earned a name for himself on the Irish music scene as someone with a powerful and

soulful voice and armed with an intense magnetic set that never disappoints. 2010 is set to be a big year for Andrew Mann. Armed with a debut album “Hidden In Plain Sight” that is filled with belting, heartfelt and deeply personal acoustic and rock songs and an obvious fire in his belly, Andrew Mann is ready to hit the road and share his songs of Irish soul with the world.

This electrifying smorgasbord of emerging raw Irish talent is enough to draw all attention of the recession and onto the exciting prospects in the Irish music industry in 2011.

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Elbow’s Guy Garvey hits out at rip-off promoters

14/10/2010

Elbow frontman Guy Garvey has spoken up against promoters who rip-off off young bands by operating a pay to play scheme. Speaking at the annual In The City music conference, Garvey blamed the system for stifling new talent. “There needs to be something really strong in place if a promoter is found to be ripping off young bands,” Garvey said. “It’s really really unfair. It’s basically playing on the hopes and dreams of people who are at the very first hurdle of their musical careers.”

He also remembered the treatment that his own band received in their early days. “If I knew that you could get in touch with the Mus

icians Union and I knew there was someone local who you could report said promoter to, that would be the way to do it. It should be the norm that you don’t get ripped off. I think it should be policed more.”

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Why should a band use a booking agent?

22/09/2010

As the DIY ethos in music continues to spread throughout the world of recording, promotion and record labels, so many bands approach the booking of live gigs themselves. While this may seem like a sensible and money saving option, in truth there is much to be gained from working with an experienced agent. Here are a few reasons why you should consider your options:

Manage your diary in one place – avoid mix ups and double bookings by having one person manage your schedule. Pass on all enquiries.

Access to venues – as an agent we are in direct contact with venues and promoters across the country. Save on wasted time sending unanswered emails and unreturned calls by letting us do the work for you.

Widen your options – as well as the traditional music venues we have strong links in the corporate and event world. This means that you will be able to book in shows that don't affect your regular touring.

Get The Best Access

>Mix and match – use outside professionals when it suits you (ie. record in a studio, release music yourselves).

Earn more money – quite simply, an agent can probably get you more gigs for better money. They can also plan tours in a manner that will cut down on travelling expenses etc

Get the backing of professionals – we are always on hand to offer our bands help

and advice, plus our full productions and promotional back-up.

And finally… – if you do all the above, you can avoid this….

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AMA's Top Emerging Bands

21/09/2010

Aside from the well known and established bands on our site, the AMA Music Agency is also home to many of the most exciting and lauded new acts in Ireland. From rock to pop, electronic to singer songwriters, our emerging artists provide a vital snapshot of what’s happening in Irish music today. Here’s our guide to some the best:

Fred – Part of the great tradition of left of centre bands from Cork, Fred have been making firm commercial progress over three albums. Latest Go God Go spawned a number of hit singles and success has followed, not only at home, but in Canada and Europe as well.

Talulah Does The Hula – The nation’s brightest new pop quintet rose from the ashes of The Chalets to continue the latter’s proud tradition of putting the sparkle into Irish music. Recently seen on The Late Late Show performing their latest single ‘Don’t Panic’, the band will be touring Ireland later in the year.

Le Galaxie – A four man interface with a weird world of electronics, Le Galaxie kick up a dance floor friendly instrumental storm. A series of independent single releases have cemented their position as one of Ireland’s most dynamic

new bands, with their 2011 debut album expecting to lift them to even greater heights.

Sweet Jane

– The classic rock ‘n’ roll attitude is alive and well and embodied by Dublin’s Sweet Jane. Fronted by the devastating duo of Lydia Des Dolles and Danda Paxton, they have been championed by the likes of Alan McGee, Power Of Dreams and Glasvegas.

Preachers Son – Fronted by Brian Hogan of Kila and Emmaline Duffy-Fallon (previously of Engine Alley), Preachers Son are a glamourous yet dark journey into the heart of music. Debut album Love, Life And Limb is out now.

Hal – That Hal’s debut single was a tribute to The Band’s Rick Danko makes perfect sense, enthralled as the band are by the sound of classic American music. Gorgeous harmonies combine with sweet melodies to create a sound that effortlessly transports the listener to another, dreamy place.

Other City Records Package Tour – Any Other City Records is one of Ireland's most exciting new labels. Founded by James Byrne of Villagers, it was the label that first brought us Conor O'Brien in that guise and has gone on to showcase some of the best new talent in Ireland. Their three act package tour features New Amusement, Squarehead and Hello Moon, all emerging bands who have been winning plaudits in the press of late. This triple bill is available at a special introductory price for national dates in November and December.

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Blog

AMA's Top Irish Rock Bands

21/09/2010

Far more than just the home to U2 and Thin Lizzy, Ireland has been a hotbed of musical talent and the twenty first century is no exception. Our bands have not only built a high profile at home but also on an international level with more and more artists selling out tours and appearing on TV soundtracks. Here are some of Ireland's most enduring and exciting rock bands:

Aslan – With timeless classics such as 'Crazy World' and 'This Is', Aslan have maintained a rapport with a significant fanbase on a local and international scale. Check out their Australian tour 2010 in anticipation of their new album release in 2011.

The Coronas – The Coronas’ career has soared since their first EP release 5 years ago. This band has achieved success at home and overseas, with tours in The U.S, U.K and Asia and two albums of commercial acclaim, two Meteor Award Nominations and a victorious appearance on Oxegen’s Main Stage.

Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club – A true Irish troubadour, Jerry Fish has led the Mudbug Club to commercial success and huge audience acclaim. One of the most talked about acts at this year's Electric Picnic, Jerry Fish can perform in a variety of musical formats – from duo to full band.

Delorentos – Nominated for two Meteor Awards and the Choice Music Prize, Delorentos (pictured) have toured with the likes of Bell X1 and The Futureheads. 2010 has seen the band expand its fanbase at home and throughout Europe. We look forward to their third album due for

release in 2011.

Republic Of Loose – Quite simply one of the most unique bands on the Irish scene, Republic Of Loose have brought a range of musical influences to their three albums to date. New record Bounce At The Devil saw them relocate to Baltimore to further immerse themselves in black American music and culture.

The 4 Of Us – Best known for their hit single 'Mary, The 4 Of Us were voted

one of the Top10 Best Irish Bands Of All Time in a recent TV3 series.

Ham Sandwich – Blessed with a creative yet polished sound, Ham Sandwich follow their hit single 'The Naturist' with the eagerly awaited second album 'White Fox'.

Director – Director's 2007 album We Thrive On Big Cities brought the band widespread success in Ireland, debuting at number two in the album charts for four weeks. Follow up I'll Wait For Sound saw them showcase a harder, rawer sound.

RoySeven – Royseven are an exciting presence within the Irish Music Scene. This six-piece alternative band have achieved great acknowledgement in the last few years. They were awarded the Hope for 2007 Meteor Award & Other Voices Viewer Choice 2007.

Dirty Epics – One of Ireland’s most original and unique punk bands. With an essence of new wave and charismatic performances this band are emerging to great effect within the Irish music scene.

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Roots and Bluegrass

Niall Toner Band

30/08/2010
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Niall Toner hails originally from Harold’s Cross in Dublin, and re-located to Myshall, County Carlow, in 2001, where he got together with Clem O’Brien and Dick Gladney, and formed the NTB. Niall is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s leading experts on Bluegrass and American Country Music. He brings his knowledge of music to a wide audience through his performances with his band, and on his radio show Roots Freeway on RTE Radio One, which features a wide range of music, from Bluegrass and Old Timey to Blues and Cajun, with contemporary singer-songwriters, traditional Irish music and live.
muscle building supplementsstudio guests. Niall has also been nominated for several PPI Radio Awards.
Niall Toner – Chainsaw Country Blues by A.M.A. Music Agency
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Niall Toner Band 1 Page1

Blog

Why book through a music agency?

30/08/2010

So you want to book a band, either for your venue, your corporate event or your festival. How do you approach the task? It is possible to grab the nearest music guide, find a contact for almost any band and go to them directly yourself. Yet what might seem to be the simplest and most effective method turns out to be far from the best.

Why go through a booking agent? As with many other areas of business, the use of a third party is ultimately the best way to deal with your chosen artist. By dealing directly and exclusively with their acts, an agency can ensure that they have first call on any date – something that calling a band yourself could not guarantee. By building a relationship with their artists, a good agent will have their complete trust to find them the right shows in the right venues. As such, most acts will pass on any enquiry to their agent anyway.

It makes financial sense too, as exclusive agents are able to get the best possible price on an artist (with no hidden extras or add ons) and often offer special deals and discounts. By booking with A.M.A. buy anabolic steroids you can save yourself up to 20% on fees from non-exclusive agencies and gain access to great package deals on emerging talent and experienced festival DJs.

When working with an experienced booking agent you also guarantee yourself a complete support network – starting with expert advice on which artist will suit your requirements through to production and technical advice, the latest press and promotional material and a choice of support act from their emerging talent roster. Best of all, there is always someone on hand to give expert advice on all aspects of live music.

With over twenty years experience in the music agency field, Audio Networks have established themselves as Ireland’s leading booking agent. Call us today on + 353- 1 -201 3660 or + 353 86 -2504- 795 for more details.

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Tips for booking a band

30/08/2010

Try to orlistat india work on tour dates with accompanying press and promotion – your show will receive national and local coverage.

Do the band have an album out? If so they’ll be doing press and radio interviews to promote it, all of which adds extra publicity to live shows.

Can our venue be included in the press release and national adverts?

Who’s in the charts at the moments? Many of our profile bands have regular chart singles and albums. See who’s selling records and book accordingly. Also check on what trends are popular and find an act to match. Our booking team are on hand to advise.

Who can deliver a hundred plus sales to my venue? Take this as a starting point and build your audience from there.

Will they do interviews? All our acts will do press and radio interviews to help promote your show.

Irish bands can offer prizes, meet and greets, autographed merchandise etc – use this to run competitions to give your show and an extra push.

Consider scaled down versions of acts for lower fees. Bands often come in a duo, trio or acoustic form which can be a handy way to accommodate smaller venues or budgets. Contact us for details.

Get first call on Irish artists. As we deal exclusively and directly with our artists, we are able to offer first call on their schedule.

Be involved with the A.M.A. network of sites and State.ie. As part of a extensive network of music and entertainment sites, we are able to promote our artists and show across the web. We also have links with the award winning State.ie music site.