Never mind the Oscars...

Music
21 Mar 02

...here's the Hot Press Irish Music Awards, and a massive bash avec much live music is pencilled in for Belfast in April. Read on for the categories and nominees in full

The nominations for the 2002 Hot Press Irish Music Awards have been announce with Ash, U2, The Corrs, David Kitt and Westlife among those who'll be getting dickie-bowed up for the occasion.

In all, 14 gongs are there for the taking, voted for by a panel that includes the leading critics and broadcasters from national newspapers, TV and radio stations all over Ireland.

Hot Press celebrating its 25th anniversary this year adds extra spice to the event, which takes place in Belfast on April 25th and airs two days later on BBC1 Northern Ireland.

"We're so excited that the Hot Press Awards are coming back to Belfast," enthuses the BBC's Mike Edgar. "The television coverage over the last few years has been amazing with guests such as U2, Ash, Morrissey, David Bowie, Radiohead, The Corrs, Sinéad O'Connor, Nina Simone and Ronan Keating all taking part.

"2002 should be no different as it's been a great year for Irish music. The event is viewed with great integrity by Ireland's music community and always generates a fantastic feelgood factor."

Those sentiments are echoed by Hot Press editor Niall Stokes who adds: "There's no better reflection of the sense of shared community that exists on this island than contemporary music and we've had some wonderful gatherings of the rock 'n' roll clan in both Dublin and Belfast as a result.

"There's wonderfully exciting music being made at the moment all over Ireland – north, south, east, west – so the competition is likely to be particularly intense."

Slugging it out on the night are:

Male Singer

David Kitt

Bono

Ronan Keating

Mark Greaney (JJ72)

Female Singer

Andrea Corr

Juliet Turner

Gemma Hayes

Samantha Mumba

Band