Danny Boy Rox Result

Five bands, one location, a good night was had by all. There was only one winner and it was Stone Crow. Congratulations guys.

Danny Boy Rox update

Missprint have pulled out, so the first band will be at 9.30pm or thereabouts.

You can see their MySpace profile to get an idea of what they'll be like.

Danny Boy Festival - Day 2

The events for Friday 1st May.

8pm - Gene Fitzpatrick at The Drummond Hotel, Ballykelly

9pm to 1pm - Danny Boy Rox: featuring - Betty Lee & The Blonde, Bleeding Saints, Delayed Reaction, Stone Crow, Tommy Shots and Missprint. At The Lair, Limavady Football Club, Limavady

Danny Boy Rox: The Lineup

Danny Boy Rox is just over a week away, taking place on May 1st at The Lair (Limavady Football Club). The lineup is confirmed for the competition. So the bands taking part are:

• Tommy Shots
• Delayed Reaction
• Miss Print
• Betty Lee and the Blonde
• Bleeding Saints
• Stone Crow

The running order is yet to be decided. Both Tommy Shots and Bleeding Saints took part last year and performed brilliantly. Expect the quality (and the volume) to be extremely high.

Limavady's answer to tackling anti social behaviour.

The Derry Journal calls them "Street louts" which I think is a bit unfair. I would use the word, "bored young adults" as Limavady offers very little for them to do. Limavady is to get two wardens to look out for anti social behaviour, littering and unauthorised street trading.

So £9000 well spent, that remains to be seen, though some councillors are skeptical about the idea.

I'm wondering how £9000 a year on youth projects would go instead, something to give that age bracket something to be proud of and involved in.

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In York there was a summer scheme called the Megajam, not council run, it was done by a recording studio. Thirty kids created four or five rock bands. Within four days they had written and rehearsed a set of music to perform in a proper venue, in front of a proper crowd. It was a tall order but there was most of York's muso population on hand to mentor and offer advice. Some of them had never played an instrument, let alone performed in front of a true, proper York muso appreciating crowd.

To this day I still hail Rob Parker (the organiser of all that chaos) the king of community projects. He was sharp as a needle and saw the good side in every kid that came through the doors, showed me where the potential was in these good people. This had it's own benefit, those people came back during the years and then ended up as tutors themselves, giving back into the community what the community had given to them. Some of the kids gave the tutors a run for their money on the talent stakes but we didn't like to talk about that.

It was beyond music, it was about people. It's affects though were life changing and very long lasting.

Okay it was a summer scheme but the same idea could be transferred elsewhere. All you need is people to help. Danny Boy Rox is oh so near to that energy of the Megajam, which is probably why I like Danny Boy Rox so much, but that's a competition. Something is required to pull people together and show that they can make a difference. Music usually does that very well.

Danny Boy Festival update.

The final programme of events is now on the Limavady Borough Council website. It looks like Danny Boy Rox is now back at The Lair (Limavady Utd. Football Club).

I wonder who's entered?

Danny Boy Rox commeth....

The Danny Boy Festival is running from 30th April to 3rd May this year. You can view the programme of events here. For those in a band, you'll be glad to hear that Danny Boy Rox is running again.

This time it's being held at the Limavady Show Grounds. First the Gorteen, then Rock The Valley and now the showgrounds.

If you want to enter you look at the terms and conditions and grab and application form from the Limavady Borough Council website. The standards are high, very high, every year. You have been warned.