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Astles wins the Merseyrail Sound Station Prize
2016 ASTLES was crowned the
winner of the coveted Merseyrail Sound Station Prize on Saturday after a hotly
contested battle of the bands style competition at Moorfields Station.
10 bands played to a panel of music industry judges and a crowd of fans in the
concourse of the City Centre train station in the culmination of a year long
competition. After impressing with his set of ambient finger picked acoustic
songs, Astles will now receive a year of mentoring, recording time in a studio
and a year of free train travel.
The winner of the competition was unveiled by head judge and editor of music
magazine Bido Lito! Christopher Torpey at new Tithebarn Street venue HUS on
Saturday evening.
Christopher Torpey:- "The final was, yet again, another fiercely
competitive affair, and all of the judges remarked on how high the standard of
performances was. Which, of course, made our job of choosing a clear winner all
the more difficult. Overall, Astles impressed us all with a really accomplished
set and the huge amount of potential he possesses. I'm looking forward to seeing
what he/she/they achieve in the future!"
Merseyrail Sound Station is a new music platform which encompasses a monthly
podcast, the prize and regular pop up performances at festivals. Previous
winners include Katy Alex, Blue Saint and Soho Riots.
Last years prize winner Katy Alex performed at HUS before the winner was
announced. Katy; whose band Halem have performed at some of the region's top
festivals and released a clutch of well received singles; was also on the
judging panel along with representatives from Arts Council England, Merseyrail, Sentric Music, GetIntoThis and Tankfield Studio.
Jan Chaudry-Van der Velde, Merseyrail's Manageing Director, said:- "I
listened to all the bands and I think Astles was the bravest performer. I think he's really going to really benefit from the music industry mentoring
he will received as part of the prize. He captivated that audience at Moorfields
today, which is difficult to do if you are only one person singing with a
guitar. The way he did that was absolutely magical?
Also performing at the Merseyrail Sound Station Festival were Gazelle, The
Jjohns, A Lovely War, Deliah, Fay Moore, Stillia, Jo Mary, Katie Mac and Cave
Party. Now in it's 4th year, the Merseyrail Sound Station festival has proved
to be a fantastic showcase of new musical talent from Merseyside and as well as
an incubator for that talent. Astles will appear on the November edition of the Merseyrail Sound Station
podcast set for release later very soon. |
