Song of Return wins Big Apple Award!

Following months of speculation over entries from some of Scotland’s best up and coming musical talent, Song of Return won Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland’s Big Apple Award, after a brilliant live performance at The Garage’s G2 venue last night wowed the Award’s judges.

The gig also saw storming mini-sets from the other four short listed finalists Laki Mera, Finding Albert, Wrongnote and Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, who all received gifts from Guitar Guitar.

Song of Return is fronted by Craig Grant and Louis Abbott, joined by Alex McNutt, David Reekie and Ewan McDonald. The band has played together for two years and released their first album entitled “Limits” in July of this year. Craig said “We are delighted and amazed to be chosen from all the talented bands that played on the night, it’s very humbling as we have been playing together for two years and are now starting to be recognised.”

Song of Return at the Big Apple awards. Photo by Chris James

Winning The Big Apple Award means that Song of Return will play to an audience packed with music industry types at the Scottish Music Awards (the Tartan Clefs) this November, before being whisked away to New York City next year to play a variety of gigs all over Manhattan during Scotland Week 2012. The Big Apple Award is a collaborative partnership between renowned music charity Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland, Creative Scotland, The American-Scottish Foundation and Clash.

Photo by Chris James

Also, whilst in the USA Song of Return will play for Ian Ralfini, president of both Blue Note and Manhattan Records, divisions of EMI in North America.

The winner was selected in a unanimous decision by judges including Mark Millar from Clash, Matthew Rumbold from EMI, Roddy Hart and Yvonne McLellan from Island, and Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development, Creative Scotland. Parkinson said; ‘The Big Apple Award received a phenomenal response from a great many talented artists and bands and the judging panel had a very tough task whittling it down to the final five. The standard of the entries displays the shear wealth of musical talent Scotland has to offer.’

Photo by Chris James

Ciaran O’Toole hosted the night and said to the fans; “We’re not here to take your money for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland, but you are the future and should take five minutes on your break to check out the Charity and the Scottish Music Awards (the Tartan Clefs) to understand what music therapy and the charity does for these children”.

Visit www.tartanclef.org

Learn www.nordoffrobbinsscotland.org.uk

Follow @TartanClef Tweet: #TartanClefs

Find www.facebook.com/tartanclef

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