2fm's Jenny Huston caught up with Lisa Hannigan at EuroSonic 2012 to chat about her performances with her seven-strong band at the festival, her love of making music videos and performing solo in the sinisterly-monikered 'container' at EuroSonic's Oosterpoort venue.

2fm's Dave Fanning and Dan Hegarty spoke to James Vincent McMorrow literally minutes after he received his prestigious European Border Breakers Award at EuroSonic 2012 and became the first artist in history to be asked to perform two songs at the ceremony presented by Jools Holland.

Here, in the EuroSonic Studios, Dave and Dan speak to James about his EBBA win, his songwriting process, and why EuroSonic is so important to him.

Derval Freeman, photographer by appointment to God is an Astronaut, sent us on her gallery of pics from Eurosic 2012..  And she is a very good photographer!

Flick Here to view

 

Dave talking to Torsten from Vera Club in Groningen

Lots of Eurosonic stuff on line

First off, the 3onstage sessions - a selection of the video live shows with James Vincent Mc, Lisa Hannigan and so on - Go to 2012 Highlights on bar at top of page  or  Click here

Next there are dozens of vids and audios of th Eurosonic full live shows, courtesy of 3voor12, the online arm of 3fm, Dutch national radio..Go to Video on bar at top of page or Click Here

And finally the main Eurosonic site has some other highlights on the home page - just go to 2012 Highlights on bar at top of page

As Dave Fanning, Jenny Huston and Dan Hegarty return to our Dublin studios, we reminisce on a fantastic three days spent in Groningen, The Netherlands as we broadcast live from EuroSonic 2012 and checked out some amazing homegrown and international talent.

Although we saw some wonderful European acts from countries such as Norway, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, England and Sweden to name but a few, it would be remiss of us not to give special kudos to the 21 Irish acts who traveled - with the help of Culture Ireland and First Music Contact - to represent Ireland at the festival. A special mention must also go to James Vincent McMorrow, who was honoured with an European Border Breakers Award on Wednesday the 11th January 2012 at a televised awards ceremony presented by the legendary Jools Holland.

So, to the following acts, we salute you.

Bitches With Wolves
Cashier No.9
Emmett Tinley
Fionn Regan
Foy Vance
God is an Astronaut
Hello Moon
Funeral Suits
James Vincent McMorrow
Lisa Hannigan
La Faro
Jape
Mojo Fury
Ram's Pocket Radio
Squarehead
The Cast of Cheers
The Minutes
Thread Pulls
Toby Karr
Wallis Bird
We Cut Corners

The following photos are a mere glimpse of what 2fm saw and heard at EuroSonic. Listen back to our broadcasts from Thursday and Friday on the RTÉ Radio Player now and immerse yourself in the best music that Europe has to offer....


PHOTO GALLERY

Cashier No.9 in studio with Dave Fanning and our Dutch hosts Henk and Martin...




Cashier No.9 in studio...




The Funeral Suits on stage in the beautiful Huize Maas venue in Groningen...

We caught up with We Cut Corners for a coffee and a chat in a noisy lobby ahead of their gig at De Spieghel in Groningen, Holland as part of EuroSonic 2012!

We are delighted to be broadcasting from the Vera venue in Groningen during our time at EuroSonic. We love the vibe of this building so much that we though we'd share a little glimpse of it with you...

Thursday 12 January 2012 saw Wicklow-based band God is an Astronaut bring their inimitable, guitar-heavy, atmospheric rock stylings to the Vera venue in Groningen, Holland as they represented Ireland at EuroSonic 2012.

Before the gig, 2fm's Dan Hegarty caught up with guitarist Torsten Kinsella to talk about how important playing at EuroSonic is to the band. RTÉ 2fm chose God is an Astronaut to be the first official Irish representitives out of the 21 acts from Ireland at this year's festival.

RTÉ 2fm's Dan Hegarty is live on air direct from Vera Studios in Groningen, Holland right now!

Earlier, we took a little wander around our favourite Dutch city  and ran into James O'Neill AKA Bitches With Wolves who was very excited after his in-store performance at Plato Records in Groningen.




We salute you James...

We were at the EBBA Awards Ceremony presented by Jools Holland in Groningen, Holland last night as part of the 2012 EuroSonic Festival. James Vincent McMorrow took home the prize for Ireland while Belgium's Selah Sue scooped the covetable People's Choice Award. Check out this beautiful song by James Vincent McMorrow:




Dan Hegarty and Dave Fanning caught up with James in Holland just after he came off stage. Hear what he had to say:



2fm 2012-01-11-19-32-02-00 2012-01-11-19-46-20-00 by RTE 2fm

Tonight, Tuesday 10 January, saw Eurosonic-bound acts Ram's Pocket Radio, Funeral Suits and The Minutes live in Studio 8 with Dave Fanning, Jenny Huston and Dan Hegarty for part two of our Eurosonic Warm-Up. Only a day to go until the festival kicks off and we're getting really excited now!

Check out the tunes from tonight's sessions below and check back in with us real soon for the latest Eurosonic 2012 updates. We'll be live from EuroSonic in The Netherlands on Thursday from 8pm and Friday from 9pm.


2fm Eurosonic WarmUp: Rams Pocket Radio "Dieter Rams Has Got The Pocket Radio" by RTE 2fm

2fm EuroSonic 2012 WarmUp: Rams Pocket Radio "One Plus Two" by RTE 2fm

Last night saw us kick off our EuroSonic 2012 coverage with music from Fionn Regan, La Faro and Squarehead live from Studio 8. We also got the low-down on what to expect from this year's EuroSonic as 21 Irish acts prepare to fly the flag for their country as Ireland features as the EuroSonic 2012 'Spotlight Country'.

And...

Dave Fanning caught up with Angela Dorgan of First Music Contact (Music From Ireland) and Madeline Boughton of Culture Ireland to find out just why EuroSonic 2012 is so important to Irish acts and what it means for the future of Irish music.

We've collected all of last night's EuroSonic content right here for your listening pleasure - enjoy! Don't forget to tune in again tonight from 8pm for part two of our EuroSonic Warm Up. We'll have Funeral Suits, The Minutes and Ram's Pocket Radio live in studio for a catch up and a few tunes.


ANGELA DORGAN AND MADELINE BOUGHTON ON THE DAVE FANNING SHOW

2fmEurosonic 2012 Warm-Up: Dave Fanning iv Angela Dorgan (FMC) & Madeline Boughton (Culture Ireland) by RTE 2fm



FIONN REGAN ON THE DAVE FANNING SHOW

2fm Eurosonic 2012 Warm-Up: Dave Fanning i/v Fionn Regan + track "List of Distractions" by RTE 2fm Fionn Regan - Dogwood Blossom by RTE 2fm



LA FARO ON JENNY HUSTON LaFaro - Jenny Huston - Live Studio 8 by RTE 2fm



SQUAREHEAD ON DAN HEGARTY

RTÉ 2fm EuroSonic 2012 Warm-Up: Squarehead "Axes of Love" by RTE 2fm


2fm EuroSonic 2012 Warm-Up: Squarehead "Save Yourself" by RTE 2fm

EuroSonic 2012 kicks off this Wednesday and we're getting revved up to broadcast live from Holland later this week. Tonight, we'll be warming up with EuroSonic-bound Fionn Regan, Squarehead and La Faro live in Studio 8. Tune in from 8pm to hear live sessions from all three across the night.



After 8pm, Dave Fanning will also be speaking to Madeline Boughton of Culture Ireland and Angela Dorgan of First Music Contact about the huge significance of EuroSonic to the 21 Irish bands travelling there and the impact that the festival has on the festival and live music scene throughout Europe.

 

 

The Suits looking not a bit Funereal.

 

Over Monday and Tuesday evenings 6 of the 21 Irish acts going to play Eurosonic are in live with Dave, Jenny and meself, from 7 til Midnight..

Monday - Fionn Reagan, Squarehead and Lafaro

On Tuesday it's Ram's Pocket Radio, The Funeral Suits and the Minutes

Lafaro in for the chop

 

Ram Pocket Raider ( Below)

 

Some Minutes from the Eurosonic warm up

 

 

 

A huge congratulations to 2fm listener Megan Douglas who is the winner of our EuroSonic trip to Holland!

2fm will be flying lucky Megan and a friend to Groningen in Holland next week to attend this year's EuroSonic Festival.

The prize includes return flights to Schipol Airport in Amsterdam courtesy of Aer Lingus, three nights' accommodation in Groningen, passes to the EuroSonic Festival and tickets to the prestigious televised European Border Breakers Awards presented by Jools Holland. 

Megan, 24, who is originally from Dallas, Texas and is now living in Douglas, Co. Cork, entered the competition via RTÉ 2fm's website. Megan says she will be bringing her fiancé Michael on the trip with her and she is most looking forward to seeing Wicklow band 'God is an Astronaut' - 2fm's official selected band for this year's festival.

Megan says: "I'm delighted to have won the 2fm competition. My fiancé and I are so excited to go to the festival in Holland! I'm especially looking forward to seeing God is an Astronaut; they're such a great ban. 

2fm DJs Dave Fanning, Jenny Huston and Dan Hegarty will be broadcasting live from the heart of EuroSonic 2012 on Thursday 12 January and Friday 13 January, between 10pm and 1am, bringing listeners the best live sets, interviews and sessions from the cream of Irish musical talent such as Fionn Regan, Lisa Hannigan, James Vincent McMorrow, Funeral Suits, Toby Karr, Thread Pulls and Hello Moon amongst others. 

Keep up to date with the latest news from Ireland at Eurosonic right here, on our Facebook page, on Twitter, and of course stay tuned to RTÉ 2fm.

For full details of the Irish acts performing at EuroSonic 2012 check out Music From Ireland.

 

 .

One of Europe's biggest music festivals is set to showcase Ireland's musical talent with Ireland confirmed as the 'spotlight country' at EuroSonic 2012 - and RTÉ 2fm will be there to capture it all.

DJs Dave Fanning, Jenny Huston and Dan Hegarty will broadcast live from the heart of EuroSonic 2012, which takes place in the Dutch city of Groningen between Wednesday 11 January and Saturday 14 January 2012.

Broadcasting on Thursday 12 January and Friday 13 January, between 10pm and 1am, RTÉ 2fm will bring listeners the best live sets, interviews and sessions from the cream of Irish musical talent such as Fionn Regan, Lisa Hannigan, James Vincent McMorrow, Funeral Suits, Toby Karr, Thread Pulls and We Cut Corners amongst others. 

2fm will also be hosting live studio sessions from EuroSonic-bound bands in the run-up to the festival from Monday 9 January.

RTÉ 2fm DJ Dave Fanning says: "I'm delighted to be going to EuroSonic with 2fm; particularly during a year when the festival has chosen to put Irish music in the spotlight. 2fm and EuroSonic have always made a great team and now, with help from Culture Ireland and First Music Contact, the ears of the world will be tuned in to the very best music that our country has to offer."

Each year, EuroSonic highlights one European country with a flourishing musical climate, and 2012 is Ireland's year to shine. The acts selected to play this year are: Bitches With Wolves, Cashier no9, Fionn Regan, We Cut Corners, Emmet Tinley, Foy Vance, Funeral Suits, God Is An Astronaut, Hello Moon, James Vincent McMorrow, Jape, LaFaro, Lisa Hannigan, Mojo Fury, Rams Pocket Radio, Squarehead, The Cast of Cheers, The Minutes, Thread Pulls, Toby Karr and Wallis Bird.

Ireland at EuroSonic 2012 is an initiative of Culture Ireland and First Music Contact (Music From Ireland) in partnership with RTÉ 2fm; a partnership which has been helping Irish acts to reach a national and international audience since the inception of EuroSonic.

 

As part of this initiative, Culture Ireland will be providing funding for 21 of Ireland's freshest and most promising musical acts to travel to Groningen to perform at EuroSonic 2012. With help and guidance from First Music Contact, EuroSonic 2012 really is a rare opportunity for Irish acts to flaunt their talents to an international audience.

Speaking at the launch of Ireland at EuroSonic 2012, Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, said: "For many people, the deep sense of connection they feel to Ireland is borne out of love for Irish music, in all its forms.  Singers, musicians and composers have always been our greatest ambassadors and they are the foundation upon which Ireland's reputation as a creative nation is built.  We are delighted that Ireland is the spotlight country at EuroSonic and our warmest thanks to First Music Contact through their Music From Ireland initiative, RTÉ 2fm and the wonderful selection of Irish bands and musicians who will perform at the festival this year."

In addition to being one of the largest European festivals, EuroSonic's links with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) also sees the event act as a major conference for the music industry's movers and shakers to congregate in order to make serious decisions about the future of the industry; the festival is a well-known hunting ground for international festival bookers and record label bosses.

To highlight further Ireland's importance to the European music industry, on Thursday 12 January the Irish Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mary Whelan, will formally launch Ireland at EuroSonic 2012 at an event hosted by First Music Contact and Music From Ireland CEO, Angela Dorgan. The event, entitled The Soapbox Sessions, will see Irish music industry heavyweights such as 2fm's Dave Fanning, The Irish Times' Jim Carroll, blogger and music aficionado Nialler9, a variety of management and label bosses and many more take part in an unique networking event which will introduce Irish delegates to their European counterparts. 

Image: Jimmy Deenihan TD (Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht) with RTÉ 2fm DJs Dave Fanning, Jenny Huston and Dan Hegarty, Eugene Downes (CEO of Culture Ireland), Angela Dorgan (CEO of First Music Contact) and EuroSonic-bound acts Fionn Regan, James Vincent McMorrow, Funeral Suits, Hello Moon and Squarehead




Image: Eurosonic-bound acts and delegates from RTÉ 2fm, Culture Ireland and First Music Contact


Image: Eugene Downes (CEO of Culture Ireland), Jimmy Deenihan TD (Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht), Angela Dorgan (CEO of First Music Contact and Music From Ireland) and Dave Fanning (RTÉ 2fm) discuss the Irish acts bound for EuroSonic this January


Image: Eugene Downes (CEO of Culture Ireland), Dave Fanning (RTÉ 2fm), Ian Wilson (RTÉ 2fm) and Dan Hegarty (RTÉ 2fm) discuss the Irish acts bound for EuroSonic this January

As 2fm's late-night crew get ready to head over to Groningen in Holland for EuroSonic 2012, Dave Fanning, Jenny Huston and Dan Hegarty will be taking the first half of next week to remind listeners of why Ireland has been chosen as this year's spotlight country at the major European music festival.
 

On Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th January - that's next Monday and Tuesday - a selection of the 21 Irish acts appearing at EuroSonic will be playing live in studio with Dave, Jenny and Dan between 7pm and 1am.

Confirmed acts so far include:

The Funeral Suits

LaFaro

Fionn Regan

Squarehead  

 

As 2fm's late-night crew get ready to head over to Groningen in Holland for EuroSonic 2012, Dave Fanning, Jenny Huston and Dan Hegarty will be taking the first half of next week to remind listeners of why Ireland has been chosen as this year's spotlight country at the major European music festival.
 

On Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th January - that's next Monday and Tuesday - a selection of the 21 Irish acts appearing at EuroSonic will be playing live in studio with Dave, Jenny and Dan between 7pm and 1am.

Confirmed acts so far include:

The Funeral Suits

LaFaro

Fionn Regan

Squarehead