THE SHOWCASE MUST GO ON

THERE'S A bit of a myth abroad that there is a plethora of available gigs out there just waiting to be filled by willing young bands, anxious to parade their indisputable talents before the masses. This view is particularly prevalent in the major cities like Dublin, Cork And Galway. What with all those new pubs, night clubs and venues opening up, surely, the argument runs, the demand for live entertainment must be at an all-time high?

Not true! Unless you're a covers band prepared to trawl the charts for the latest singalonga crowd-pleaser, or a traditional combo geared towards entertaining the tourists, getting a decent gig is as hard as it's ever been. This holds especially true for young bands performing original material - and that's a particularly worrying state of affairs given that new talent is the lifeblood of the music industry.

All is not lost, however. Since 1993 IMRO (the Irish Music Rights Organisation) have sponsored the IMRO Showcase series of gigs which have taken place up and down the country. In that time they have become the preeminent shop window for new Irish talent and one of the most popular means by which record companies scout for potential signings. Bands such as Bawl, The Hitchers, Indian, The Wilde Oscars and Redhead have all benefited from their participation in the IMRO Showcase events, some of them even scoring deals as a result.

This year alone has seen no less than 14 IMRO Showcases featuring 60 bands being staged at venues right across the nation. These included gigs in Dublin, Bray, Wexford, Waterford, Clonmel, Limerick, Galway, Cork, and Belfast. And according to promoter Dermot Flynn this year's series of gigs was the best in the five year history of the event.

"All of the shows have been extremely well attended," he says. "The standard of talent was exceptionally high and the bands involved were all very happy with the treatment they received. It's a high profile gig for them, yet all their costs are covered. Everything is paid for. All they have to do is show up and they even get a percentage of the door takings."

For IMRO, this sponsorship makes such perfect sense that they are fully committed to maintaining the momentum of the showcase series. Eddie Joyce, boss of the Danceline label (celebrating its tenth anniversary this year), is also a member of the IMRO board. He sees the IMRO showcase gigs as a solid investment in the future of the Irish music industry.

"It's a bit like a major company investing in research and development," he opines. "If you're helping young artists, ultimately the dividend will come back through IMRO, who collect royalties on behalf of their members. With my own background in rock I'm delighted that the gigs have been so successful. I've even suggested that they might be extended - perhaps to having one in London, for example."

For the bands themselves, taking part in an IMRO showcase gig involves much more than the actual performance on the night. All of the IMRO shows are heavily supported by local radio and press, with members of the media often turning up at gigs. The gigs are also, of course regularly reviewed in Hot Press and elsewhere giving many of the participating bands their first taste of press coverage.

Yet another incentive for bands taking part is the chance to secure a slot on the prestigious Heineken Rollercoaster Tour which takes place each Spring. "It's become the tradition over the past few years," Flynn explains. "One of the bands from the best of IMRO is usually selected for the Rollercoaster tour - which means exposure to over 10,000 people."

Another benefit and one which could well be crucial to a bands's career is the A&R involvement - in his role as promoter Dermot Flynn uses the opportunity to pass on demo tapes of participating bands to the major labels.

From an A&R point of view, bringing together several bands in a controlled live setting has obvious benefits, not least of them the opportunity for those with the chequebooks to suss out the latest batch of homegrown talent. Hugh Murray, A&R man with Sony Records regularly attends IMRO Showcase gigs for that very reason.

"I'd be more inclined to go to an IMRO organised showcase than an ordinary gig," he says. "The standard is usually quite high and the fact that there is likely to be an A&R presence gives bands an incentive to perform to their best. I remember seeing the V-necks, [who became The Young Offenders] - 15 A&R people came along to their gig in Cork and they were eventually signed by Columbia."

And what of the stars of the shows themselves? Wexford based outfit Immodium appeared at the IMRO showcase gig held at The Junction in Wexford Town, and their manager Sean Dempsey is full of praise for the way the event was run.

"It was very well publicised with posters and flyers everywhere," he says "I think we had over 250 turning up on the night and the band received a great reaction. I also found Dermot Flynn to be very helpful. He took demo tapes from each of the bands and he even had IMRO membership forms available for the bands to sign."

Another band who've benefited considerably from their participation in the IMRO series are The Marbles, who were signed as a direct result of appearing at one showcase event. The band's manager, former Pogue Terry Woods applauds the efforts made my IMRO to foster young talent.

"I think they're a good thing and I wish there were more gigs like this," he says. "It would be a great help to young bands. I didn't have much to do with the Dublin scene for a long time. But when I came back I was surprised to find that young bands are struggling as much as they were 20 years ago. It's difficult for them to get the feedback and to know what it is they have to do to improve their chances."

The bands may not all live happily ever after - rock 'n' roll is no fairytale - but thanks to IMRO and all involved, fresh new talent is being actively supported and encouraged. For the bands involved it's a vital first step on the ladder to future success. After that, of course, it's up to them to take full advantage of the opportunities provided. n

STOP PRESS: The IMRO Showcase tour goes international next month when three of the bands who impressed most take to the stage at one of London's top A&R venues. Featuring Asterix, Hooky and Co. UK the gig will take place on Monday 6th July at the Water Rats Theatre, Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.