From the driveway to the dream

In the past five years, Garageland has helped numerous unheard bands and artists find a more permanent spot in the music biz. With a series of upcoming shows that will spotlight the most successful of the bunch, Marissa Connelly speaks to some of the highlight acts about life after their Garage Gig debuts.

Marissa Connolly, 24 Apr 2006

Beginner bands all know the drill. You get together a couple of friends who know how to strum a few chords and keep a beat, and from there, the dreams of sold out stadiums and screaming fans are born. Yet it’s all too easy for such newcomers to be easily crushed by the red tape, lack of connections and damned security at the front desk that keep budding acts caged in their basements instead of shining onstage.

And yet, there’s a beacon of hope for the masses of unsigned groups in Ireland and it’s not in the forms of stuffy executives in suits carrying unnecessarily heavy briefcases.

Since 2001, Garageland and the Garage Gigs have helped more than 2000 acts make leaps and bounds within their careers. The fairy godmother to musical Cinderellas, Garageland grants a proper debut in the form of the Garage Gig and (if all goes well) continues to provide services right through to major showcases. Helping in areas of industry contacts, publishing and record company advice and press, it’s no mystery why they’re Hot Press' partners in crime.

Their latest venture, Series 11, is already underway in Dublin and has so far welcomed over 100 acts to some of the most beloved venues in the city. Now promoters have announced the arrival of a baby brother to Series 11 to celebrate 16 acts who’ve turned their foot-in-the-door Garage Gig into a stampede on the music industry. Recognizing the constant battles that bands fight to make it big, Garageland promoter Dermot Lambert can’t help but seem a bit like a proud mother to the bands.

Separated into four parts, the event opens on April 21 at The Sugar Club with a staggering line-up that includes The Chaos Emerald, Schroe and Tuppenceworth. Poster children for the welcomed buzz that Garageland brings to an act, The Kinetiks are also set to play on Friday, and lead singer Gary Control has already done his homework.

“We’ve never played the Sugar Club before but heard it’s a real slick venue,” he says. “I went on the virtual tour on the website last week just to check it out, just because I like to get a look at the venue before we play.”

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Marissa Connolly