Craic On

Semi Final 2 – April 19th at the Sean Ti

THis will take place in front of Tony Bramwell, the Beatles road manager and talent scout and head of their label, Apple Records. He went on to head top label Polydor Records where he had the Bee Gees, The Jam, Roxy Music and Slade in his stable among lots of others. He now has his own record label and is looking for talent.

John Bradley
– I Just Can’t Help Myself
– Won’t You Save Me

John is originally from Manchester but now lives in Buncrana. Has played most of the DylanFests in Moville. He is a regular on Songwriter nights. When he had a band in Manchester he once had a young Mick Hucknall of Simply Red as his sound man.

Jack Craig
– Won’t Let You Down

Jack is from Derry and he finished 4th out of 17 in the final of Derry’s Songwriter Contest. He has two songs through from the first semi final. The songs scored highly and this is likely to be in the mix as well.

Susie Blue
– Your Grip
– Boston Eyes

Susie is from Derry and is well-known on the Songwriter scene there. Her songs proved popular with the crowd in the heats and she was specially picked out by some of them. One to watch.

Debbie & Geraldine
– Where are we going to get our love
– One Last Time

These girls have gone from strength to strength in the last year. They won 2nd place in last year’s Songwriter Contest and their songs this year stand a great chance. They hadn’t even played a gig before last year’s contest but are now regulars on the circuit. Indeed they are amongst the most popular acts and a particular favourite of mine. They harmonise so well and their voices blend so well. They always look as if they are having fun themselves and this spreads to the crowd.

Paul Herron
– The Water’s Edge
– Just Down the Road
– The Donegal Dream

Paul, from Derry, has played in Rosatos a couple of times. He was the revelation of the final heat in the Sean Ti with one couple up from Armagh for the contest saying he was the best of the night. His song the Water’s Edge is a romantic classic. You’ve got to hear it. I didn’t even know that it was one of his own songs when he played in Rosatos previously and I asked him to play it as an encore, which he did. I thought it was an old Irish folk classic. I was very surprised when he played it as one of his own songs. I even checked on YouTube that it was his song when I got back home. The Donegal Dream got straight 10s from the judges in the first round heat and that could become an anthem. He’s definitely in with a shout.

Laura Bonner
– Kick’n Beat
– Liquid Confidence

Laura already has two songs through from the first semi and has another two here. She is the only one who could potentially get 4 songs through to the final. She is 19-years-old and was discovered when she won a talent contest in Rawdons where she now plays regularly.

Sean O’Neill (Dublin)
– Too Many Funerals
– A Warm Hand

Sean came up from Dublin for last year’s contest and was in the lead after the songs had all been sung once only to lose out to Lawrence Hackett and Debbie & Geraldine when the top 7 were asked to sing their songs again. Indeed he was the number one pick of Beatles talent scout Tony Bramwell who knows a thing or two. “Sean O’Neill’s songs were the best constructed” said Tony. He has two songs qualified for this year’s semis and should go close again.

I’ll Remember You – Shirley Clark (Dublin)

Shirley is well know on the Dublin scene and has one song qualified for the semis. It will be interesting tor see what the Moville & Greencastle audience thinks of this excellent singer / songwriter.

Ryan O’ Dochertaigh and Kevin Brown
– The Truth
– Risky Business

Ryan more or less runs the music business in Derry with regular slots at places like Masons. He ran the Derry version of the Songwriter Contest and is the promoter of several festivals there. I’ll be speaking to him about maybe joining forces for our festivals. He is also a damned good singer and songwriter himself and both of these songs eased through the heats.

James O’Donnell
– Sailor & the Saint (to be sung by James McIvor
– About a Cow – to be performed by Gerard McMonagle

James, of Spring Tides, is one of the best songwriters in the area (and maybe the best). However, he has gone back to sea after getting these two through the heats. He is hoping that James McIvor and Gerard McMonagle will be able to play his two songs but isn’t sure whether they can make it or not last time I spoke to him. It would be good if they can.

Tony Bramwell

So, that’s the line up to play in front of Tony Bramwell on Friday night with the winners going through to the final on Saturday in Rosatos. They should be some nights as the quality has been very high so far.

There’s also a mellow night on Thursday with Tony Bramwell where some acts who are not playing in he contest (and one or two who are) will play a few songs for Tony, who will be available for questions on his time with the Beatles.

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