~ Winner to be chosen at March 30 final at Colston Hall ~

Five exciting emerging music acts will go head-to-head in the final of a nationwide music competition organised by Bristol’s revived Folk Festival.

Nearly 100 entries were received for the festival’s Isambard Folk Award and now the judging panel has short-listed just five acts for the final on Friday, March 30 - one of whom will win a high profile platform at the Bristol Folk Festival this spring - and much more.

Last year, organisers staged the inaugural contest to celebrate the first Bristol Folk Festival in 32 years with Welsh band Under the Driftwood Tree emerging as winners.

Sponsored by two of Somerset’s leading music operations –the cult recording studio Songs from the Shed and Folk Radio UK - the 2012 Isambard Folk Award is a nod to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous British engineer who designed the city’s Clifton Suspension Bridge and SS Great Britain. 

Entrants had to submit footage of themselves performing one song/tune on a social networking site.

Open to UK-based performers of any age, it will give the winner a chance to appear on the same bill as acts of the calibre of Show of Hands, Cara Dillon and Afro Celt Sound System, this year’s headliners.

Says festival co-organiser Jan Ayers: “Last year set a real standard with scores of diverse, high quality entries from all round the country. But this year has topped that with even more entries and a great cross section of bands and solo artists from across the traditional folk, experimental and contemporary spectrum.”

Now the shortlisted acts will get the chance to perform 15 minute sets before judges in Hall 2 of the Colston Hall on Friday, March 30, 7.30pm. Tickets for the final are free and can be reserved by calling the Colston Hall box office on 0117 922 3686. Tickets must be collected between 6-7pm on the night.

One act will be awarded the coveted prize –the chance to appear on Colston Hall’s main stage during this year’s Bristol Folk Festival (May 5-7) as well as Somerfest – a one-day folk music and arts festival to be held at the stunning Halsway Manor on the edge of Somerset’s Quantock Hills (Saturday, April 7). A bonus prize will give the winner the opportunity of sessions on Songs from the Shed and Folk Radio UK.

Jan Ayers will be joined on the judging panel by former WOMAD artistic director Thomas Brooman, Jon Earl of Songs from the Shed and Alex Gallacher of Folk Radio UK.

THE FINALISTS

The finalists are bands Evening Chorus (from Cardiff) and London-based Common Tongues and Mishaped Pearls plus duos Solarference (Devon/Bristol) and Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker (London/Worcestershire).

Evening Chorus are a folk band from Cardiff. Championed by BBC Radio Wales they have recently released the EP Acorn. Combining traditional folk instrumentation with layers of vocal harmonies, their songs range from quiet and emotional, to loud folk stomp-a-longs. 
See them in action here 

Evening Chorus - Blue Stone Heart (Amazing Radio Session) from On-Par Productions on Vimeo.

Mishaped Pearls are a seven-piece folk/world/classical band from London. Vocalist Manuela Schuette sings in languages including English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Latin and a made up language! They released their first album The Singer and The Poets in 2010 and have played the Southbank, London’s Union Chapel and many festivals. They were also Acoustic Song nominees in the 2011 Independent Music Awards. 

Solarference (Bristol’s Nick Janaway and Exeter’s Sarah Owen) perform a captivating and unique blend of traditional folk song and live electronics. Using their voices, laptops, and a collection of sound gadgets they create fresh settings for a rich selection of traditional songs. The results are warm, percussive and atmospheric, with an intense live energy. "Passionate and original... like nothing else you've ever heard before." Tom Robinson, BBC6 Music 

Rising through the ranks of the London folk scene, Josienne Clarke is now one of the leading lights in the folk revival movement. On releasing her2010 debut album, One Light Is Gone, reviewers praised her vocal and songwriting talents, some comparing her to June Tabor and Sandy Denny. She has performed alongside many great folk musicians including Martin Simpson, Ric Sanders of Fairport Convention, Kami Thompson and Emily Portman.

Josienne's songwriting and performing cohort, Ben Walker, hails from Evesham, Worcestershire. One of the most accomplished guitarists on the London folk scene he plays both steel and nylon string acoustic guitar, and mandolin. Influenced by the likes of Martin Simpson, Bert Jansch, Pierre Bensusan and Richard Thompson, Ben's playing and arrangements add an additional dimension to Josienne's already sculpted sound. The duo have self-released an album of traditional folk songs, The Seas Are Deep. www.josienneclarke.co.uk/ See them playing the Union Chapel here:

Common Tongues are an indie folk five-piece band hailing from the shores of Brighton. With a sound that lies somewhere between Crosby, Stills and Nash and Arcade Fire, Common Tongues also cite Bon Ivor, Local Natives, The Band and Eels as influences. They released their debut single Jumping Ships last year. Singer/guitarists Tom and Oli grew up together in rural Cambridge sharing a passion for song writing that blossomed into compelling stories of their lives and loves. Having played at Bestival after winning a competition, Common Tongues had a busy 2011. With a series of further tracks currently being recorded for release this spring Common Tongues are gaining a solid fanbase and industry interest, and have a Caffè Nero tour in May/June and several festival dates.

Last year’s Isambard Award winners were the Cardiff five-piece band Under the Driftwood Tree. The band, who play a chilled eclectic blend of “surf-folk” acoustic music beat off stiff competition from four other emerging acts to scoop the award.

Under the Driftwood Tree released their first single If Only If in December and 2012 sees the release of their debut album accompanied by festival appearances including a return to Bristol Folk Festival. 

Day tickets are now available for Bristol Folk Festival at £30 (Saturday), £35 (Sunday) and £40 (Monday) with a £2 concession for 5-15s, students, pensioners, disabled and unwaged. Weekend tickets are £80 (concessions £70) whilst family tickets are £250 (2 adults and two children aged 5-15).Under 5s go free. Tickets from GIGANTIC