Across The Line continues its commitment to new local music as ATL RockSchool returns to BBC Two Northern Ireland for the third year running.
On Saturday, February 16 at 8.00pm on BBC TWO NI, ATL RockSchool will see six more talented young rock bands from Northern Ireland compete for the ATL RockSchool trophy.
ATL’s Rigsy and new BBC Northern Ireland presenter Jill Morgan will host this music contest as the young bands get to show off their talents by playing live to an audience in the BBC Blackstaff Studios before being judged by top-notch industry professionals.
On the judging panel are singer/ songwriter Sandi Thom, NME and 6Music’s Imran Ahmed and BBC Radio 1 in Northern Ireland presenter Rory McConnell. The judges will be putting their professional experience to good use to offer the young bands some valuable advice and ultimately choose the winner of ATL RockSchool.
Rigsy says: “RockSchool is both a pleasure and a total nightmare to work on. It's a laugh because everyone is so young and talented, but it's also a total nightmare because everyone is so young and talented. It's both impressive and deeply upsetting! In all seriousness though, this is our third time doing it and the standard is higher than ever. Production wise we've also stepped up a gear, to match the incredible enthusiasm on display with all six finalists.”
Jill Morgan says: "I was full of excitement about presenting ATL RockSchool for the first time, if not slightly daunted by the prospect of it. The atmosphere on the night was amazing, the bands were rocking, full of enthusiasm and really professional. I had to keep reminding myself that I was working and it wasn't my job to air guitar!"
It’s a contest that the young hopefuls have been gearing up to for many months now. Applications for ATL RockSchool were made available last year and for the next few months young bands from around Northern Ireland were flooding the ATL desks with demos containing two original songs. After a series of live heats, the hopefuls were whittled down to the six bands who can be seen competing in the ATL RockSchool final.
These six bands – many of whom are still in school - put the ‘talent’ into talent contest as they write and perform their own original tracks on the programme in front of a live audience and expert judges, with one goal; to win ATL RockSchool. Winning the contest will not only get the band the title of ATL RockSchool winner and plenty of television exposure, they will join the likes of Coldplay, Foo Fighters and Chemical Brothers by getting a feature on ATL TV and get a promotional video made of one of their tracks.
The six bands who are competing in the final are: Newtownabbey’s 6 Days Later, The Q from Londonderry, The Shots from Belfast, The Station from Downpatrick, The Good Fight from Coleraine and Carrickfergus and Wednesday Adams from Waringstown.
Last year’s ATL RockSchool winners Nice n Sleazy played the Vital 07 festival on the same bill as Razorlight and the Manic Street Preachers.
Viewers on Digital Satellite and Cable can press red after the programme to see archive footage of the ultimate local rocker - Rory Gallagher! Sit back and enjoy 50 minutes of highlights from Rory's Ulster Hall concert in 1984. We're sorry, but this service is not available to Freeview customers.
ATL RockSchool is on Saturday, February 16 at 8.00pm on BBC TWO NI.
The Finalists...
6 Days Later, Newtownabbey
Melodic indie rock four piece.
The Q, Derry
Modern sounding five piece garage rock band, with influences from The Strokes to the Clash.
The Shots, Belfast
4 piece from Belfast, (I haven’t heard them Maria)
The Station, Downpatrick
Three piece rock from the home of Ash and The Answer.
The Good Fight, Coleraine & Carrickfergus
Cerebral indie rock. Thoughtful but very melodic.
Wednesday Adams, Waringstown
Great fun acoustic trio, with songs about Purple orange juice and other bizarre concepts.