'EPic' Opportunity Launches City Music Week

This year's Belfast Music Week is offering local bands a literally 'EPic' opportunity to take their music right to the very desks of some of the most influential decision-makers in the business.

Belfast City Council has teamed up with two of the heaviest hitters in the Los Angeles music industry to offer five Northern Ireland acts the chance to earn a place on a very special EP.

LA-based public relations firm Green Room Artist Relations is sponsoring a contest open to all independent Northern Ireland artists, which will see five original tracks by five Northern Ireland artists selected for the EP, titled 'EPic Belfast', which will be digitally released worldwide on St Patrick's day, 17 March next year by the Engine House Music label.

The competition is the brainchild of Sara Griggs and Kim Nieva, the driving forces behind Engine House Music and Green Room Artist Relations, who between them have represented and worked with artists such as Bon Jovi, Tears For Fears and Texas.

The pair visited Belfast last year to speak at the first ever Belfast Music Week, and were so impressed by the amount of local talent on the music scene that they decided they wanted to take something tangible away with them when they do the same again this year.

"We want to use this opportunity to showcase the many talents Belfast and Northern Ireland has to offer," said Kim Nieva.

"And, to do so, we are going straight to the source, the Northern Irish musicians!"

Full details of how to enter, and the terms and conditions of the competition, can be found at www.facebook.com/greenroomartistrelations

Winners will be announced by Sara and Kim on Friday November 4, when they will be hosting a seminar at the Black Box on 'Getting your record made, distributed and promoted in the US'.

Belfast Music Week takes place from Sunday 30 October - Saturday 5 November.

Around 150 events will be taking place at more than 40 venues across the city, as part of the build up to the MTV EMAs, which will be broadcast live from the Odyssey Arena on Sunday 6 November.

There will be a number of landmark concerts at the Ulster Hall, as well as scores of live gigs and DJ sessions, music on buses and in shopping centres and a series of high profile music industry seminars.

(BMcC/CD)