Fenton Blue to represent Kildare

Kilcullen band Fenton Blue will represent Kildare in the 2013 Irish Youth Music Awards being held in Liberty Hall, Dublin, on April 27, writes Conor McMahon.

The talented group—formed in 2009 by school pals Stephen Clare, Sean E Ryan, Peter O’Sullivan and Tiernan Cady—competed with five other bands in The Moat Theatre last weekend for a chance to represent their home county at the national finals in The Liberty Hall, Dublin

The young band will perform ‘Fade’, a song by another local act, Fool The Joker, which was adjudged the best song of the event.

Organiser of the regional competition Louise Campbell said they're very excited that Fenton Blue will be representing Kildare this year. "The standard was very high at the qualifying gig. Everyone is really looking forward to hearing the band’s version of Fool The Joker’s song.”

A team of other young musicians will now collaborate on a mini record company and will promote Fenton Blue in the hopes of building the band’s fan-base.

A total of 20 young bands, singer-songwriters and rappers will perform at the Liberty Hall gig, and around 800 music fans are expected to attend the event.

The competition is commissioned by Youth Work Ireland and is organised by Dermot Lambert of Garageland, an organisation that works with unsigned bands in Ireland.

Check out Fenton Blue’s Facebook page. "We need to get as many people as we can behind us on this and need all the support we can get," says Stephen Clare.