Vicar Street, Dublin Thurs 7.30pm 22 0818-719390 choicemusicprize.com
Tears. Tantrums. Outraged blog posts. Yes, the Choice Music Prize is back for the seventh time to select the best Irish album of last year. No easy feat, given that 2010 was exceptional for Irish music. Ten judges will haggle, scrap and resort to thumb-wars to hand the RAAP (Recorded Artists and Performers) gong and cheque for 10,000 to the winner. This year’s shortlist is one of the strongest in years, with all shades of music represented, and the final 10 are an eclectic bunch.
There are asymmetric noise merchants Adebisi Shank; the Liberties' own Imelda May; Fight Like Apes and Cathy Davey (both with their second nomination); troubador James Vincent McMorrow; Dubliners Cast of Cheers for their download-only Chariot; Waterford boys O Emperor; and moody instrumentalists Halves. The list is completed by two favourites, Villagers and Two Door Cinema Club. Villagers' Conor O'Brien also guest on the Davey and Shank albums.
Eight of the 10 acts will perform on the night (Two Door Cinema Club are holed up in the studio and May is touring Australia).
Irish Timesmusic writer Tony Clayton-Lea takes over as chairman, and there are 11 (down from 12) judges this year.
Can’t See That? Catch This
Vessels Dublin, Friday; Cork, Saturday
