Music News: Jape Wins Meteor Choice Music Prize 2011
The Olympia Theatre was jammers last night for Choice Music Prize 2011 which saw performances from all ten of the nominated acts. Highlights included a rousing performance of Here Be Monsters from Tieranniesaur, Pugwash being joined on stage for a spot of kazoo playing by Phantom Pure Morning‘s Richie McCormack and Michelle Doherty, Jape having a wee lie down on the stage mid-song, ASIWYFA’s drummer pulling his shirt off and Rory and Johnny tearing around the stage in their suits, and the silence that fell over the chattering Olympia crowd when Lisa Hannigan kicked off her performance, before revving up the masses by banging her high heels through a stomping rendition of Knots.
Eventual winner Jape was announced by head of the judging panel Tony Clayton-Lea. Jape bagged a €10,000 prize fund and was shocked to take the prize for a second time, admitting that he thought it was Lisa Hannigan’s year. Generally considered to be a surprise victor, he joined RoySeven in the trophies as they took home Meteor Choice Music Prize Song of the Year for ‘We Should Be Lovers’.
Awash with smartphones and hashtags pumping out the good word online throughout the night and musicy types who follow each other on The Twitter finally getting to say hello to each other in person (we met the lovely EleventyFour and got to watch one of the Goldenpleccers swoon goodo over Pual Noonan), it was another good year for the Choice this time with their new sponsor Meteor on board to add a bit of orange-coloured pizazz to the event (yeah we said pizazz, what of it?). If you haven’t been yet and you like good tunes then keep next March free on we won’t be bloody impressed.