Big time beckons for Rasharkin band

A local band is within touching distance of a life-changing experience which could see them rubbing shoulders with music's top performers.

Rasharkin-based ‘Picture the Sound’ (left) have battled their way through heats to reach the last 24 in an All-Ireland competition called ‘Guinness Our Thursdays

The competition forms part of the 100-year celebrations of John Arthur, the man behind Guinness.

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The company teamed up with Snow Patrol to give emerging Irish acts the incredible opportunity to be part of the Arthur’s Day artist line up on 23rd September.

To be in with a chance to showcase their talents, Irish hopefuls were asked to upload their music to www.guinness.com/ourthursdays. The top 600 bands were then chosen to play in 100 local pubs every Thursday from mid July through to early August in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in a series of music events called “Our Thursdays”.

The numbers were then whittled down to one hundred of Irish emerging acts and ‘Picture the Sound’ impressed judges most at The Wild Duck in Portglenone.

Down to the last 24 in Ireland, Picture the Sound now get the chance to play at the prestigious Empire in Belfast this Thursday night where they will face the scrutiny of industry experts including the Editor of Hot Press.

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The outcome will see three lucky bands chosen to play at organised music events in Galway, Cork and in Hopstore 13 at St James’s Gate Brewery on 23rd September alongside amazing international artists including Snow Patrol.

Picture the Sound spokesperson, Jonathan Wallace, described the opportunity as very exciting and said it wasn’t every day that a band got the chance to play at the likes of the Empire in front of a packed house and with members of Snow Patrol likely present.

The boys realise it is a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves in what is a fiercely competitive field.

The competition is only open to those who write their own music and Picture the Sound clearly have impressed so far.

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There’s no thought of winning at this stage for Jonathan and his fellow band members are just happy to be where they are.

“We will do our best and that’s all we can do,” Jonathan said.

Currently, the band have an EP on sale called ‘The Day Before’ which was overseen by the highly respected Enda Walsh, one of the biggest names in the industry who worked with some of the top names including Van Morrison.

Picture the Sound’s music is influenced by the likes of Kings of Leon, U” and Tasabian.

They are the only band in North Antrim to have got this far and in doing so, saw off the challenge of two bands from Ballymena.

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