Local bands will be battling it out for a great deal and a spot at Vantastival 2018
FIRESTONE, the iconic tyre brand, has launched its online public voting platform for the 2018 Firestone Battle of the Bands, run in conjunction with the Vantastival Music Festival in Beaulieu.
Firestone aim to encourage and support emerging music talent in Ireland with this initiative, which is now in its second year.
The competition offers a number of talented bands, who have been chosen to play on the Firestone stage at Vantastival, the chance to win a coveted prize of music equipment and recording time with a combined value of €4,000, and the opportunity to feature as the headline act on the Firestone Music Station stage in 2018 as well as a Main Stage act at Vantastival 2019.
The 25 unsigned acts to play the Firestone stage in 2018 were chosen by Vantastival from over 600 applications. Firestone has adjudicated 12 of these to feature across Firestone and Vantastival’s Facebook pages over the next three weeks. Voting will remain open until midnight on 8th April 2018. The five acts with the most votes will then go on to perform in a live final, taking place in Odd Mollies in Drogheda on 26th April.
On the night an overall winner will be selected by an expert judging panel and will receive a significant prize package including a two-track recording session at Dublin’s Herbert Place Studios and €1,800 worth of music equipment from the Musicmaker store in Dublin.
Colm Conyngham, Marketing Manager for Firestone Ireland said: “We are proud to support new and emerging musical talent in Ireland and provide them with this opportunity to show off their skills, in conjunction with Vantastival.
“We hope that by creating this platform, we will be able to shine a spotlight on the great musical talent that Ireland has to offer, and we can’t wait to start listening to their work.”
Meanwhile, Vantastival director Louise Tangney said: “We are delighted to be involved with Firestone in their support for emerging music talent in Ireland and we look forward to an entertaining final in April and a great Firestone stage at Vantastival.”
The Battle of the Bands competition represents an extension of Firestone’s authentic association with music that dates back to 1928 when Founder Harvey Firestone brought together musicians and music-lovers on the Voice of Firestone radio show in the USA, which gave known and unknown musicians a platform to perform on, and an audience to perform for. Supporting emerging “grass roots” talent is deeply rooted in Firestone DNA. “At Firestone we support these rising talents on their road to the main stage just like our tyres support drivers on the road,” added Colm Conyngham, Firestone Ireland.
Vantastival is a key event within Firestone Live, an original programme of music festivals across Europe in Spain, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Denmark, Ireland and the UK. The family-friendly festival which takes place over the June Bank Holiday Weekend (June 1st to 3rd) in Beaulieu House, Drogheda will see a host of live musical acts perform, while a focus on the campervan lifestyle brings an extra dimension to the only festival of its kind in Ireland.
Vantastival takes place in Beaulieu House, Drogheda June 1st to 3rd 2018 and for more information visit www. vantastival.com.