After hundreds of entries and three incredible nights of live music at The Globe, folk, roots band Rusty Shackle have won The Big Gig 2012. They put on a blistering performance which just pipped the flamboyant funky indie pop of Palomino Party.
The banjo plucking maestros from Monmouthshire will now join Brit Award winner Emeli Sande, You Me at Six and Cardiff band Kids in Glass Houses to perform at the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Special City Celebration, presented by Coca-Cola, in Cooper’s Field Cardiff on May 25th. Cardiff dance group Rubicon Dance and 80 strong group who will also take part in the relay event as part of celebrating the community.
Liam Collins, Rusty Shackle’s singer said “We’re buzzing this morning, we don’t normally win things, we usually lose and moan. Now we have nothing to moan about!”
The band will also receive airplay on Nation Radio and all finalists will receive studio recording time at the Machinerooms recording studio in Cardiff.
In third place were anarchic Cardiff youngsters Disciple whose big rock sound belied their age. Also in the final were the terrific rapper and showman Dretonio, melodic, 60s influenced The Knox who won the youth final on Monday and Breakdown Face whose extraordinary performance in Monday’s youth final has already become legendary.
Over a hundred entries were received and the standard of entry was even higher than last years amazing debut competition.
The judges included Ben Evans and Owen Davies from Nation Radio, Dave Owens from the South Wales Echo, Est Wilkinson, former manager of Coldplay, Heather Brown of Cardiff Council and John Rostron from the Swn Festival.
The judges said “It was fantastic to see such a high standard of acts representative of Cardiff’s flourishing music scene ahead of next years Womex festival”
