An expert music industry panel, hand-picked by Nordoff Robbins, have found the ten best live artists who have toured in the last year. Now the vote turns to the public to decide who should win the O2 Silver Clef Award for the Ticketmaster Best Live Act of 2014.
These artists have undoubtedly provided some of the best visual and vocal performances of 2014; from Arcade Fire headlining Coachella, Rudimental and Disclosure’s stunning BRITs collaborations to London Grammar’s beautiful emergence on to the live scene with a sold out debut tour. Foals have already been recognised for their electrifying live shows having won the 2013 Q Award for Best Live Act following their UK & Ireland tour and twice been nominated for NME’s Best Live Act Award. Both Justin Timberlake and Fleetwood Mac made spectacular returns to the live scene taking in extensive world tours in 2013/14; ‘The 20/20 Experience’ and ‘Fleetwood Mac’. Muse embarked on their biggest and most spectacular stadium tour to date ‘The 2nd Law’ World Tour. The Rolling Stones celebrated their 50th anniversary with their extensive ’50 & Counting…’ World Tour, which concluded with two huge shows at London’s Hyde Park.
Anyone can vote for their favourite act at www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk/BestLiveAct or by
tweeting their vote to @NordoffRobbins1 using #BLAartistname. All voters will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win a £500 Ticketmaster Gift Card, or four VIP tickets to a gig of their choice at The O2. The vote opens on Thursday 8 May and closes on Friday 20 June.
Of the 10 Awards given out at the O2 Silver Clefs, Best Live Act is the only one voted for by the public. Three of the Awards have already been announced – Pharrell Williams will win Raymond Weil International Award, Paloma Faith will win Royal Albert Hall Best British Act and Giorgio Moroder is to be awarded American Express Innovation Award.
Previous winners of the Best Live Act Award include One Direction (2013), McFly (2012) and Sir Paul McCartney (2011).
This year’s Best Live Act Award is run in association with Ticketmaster UK, O2, Absolute Radio, Magic 105.4 and Music Week.
Simon Presswell, Managing Director, Ticketmaster UK says:
“We are very proud to be supporting Nordoff Robbins again this year in their search for the Best Live Act of 2014. It’s great to see such a strong and varied top ten list of nominees – chosen from a list of the most searched acts on our website.
“This award is always particularly exciting at the O2 Silver Clef Awards as it is voted for by live music fans. Good luck to the nominees!”
Nuala Donnelly, Sponsorship, O2 said:
“The Best Live Act award is wide open this year. With some heavyweight acts putting in world class performances up and down the country in 2013, it’s shaping up to be a fight to the end. Plus the twitter mechanic makes it easier than ever for fans to vote. O2 are very excited to be working with Ticketmaster and Nordoff Robbins to bring this award into the O2 Sliver Clef lunch for the 3rd year.”
Steve Parkinson MD for Bauer Radio (London), whose brands Magic 105.4 and Absolute Radio are supporting the campaign said:
“Nordoff Robbins do amazing work, and we are very happy to support this – as well as something else our listeners are very passionate about – live music. May the best live act win!”
The O2 Silver Clef Awards have been bringing together artists from all areas of the music industry since 1976, to raise funds for Nordoff Robbins’ music therapy work. This year, the O2 Silver Clefs will continue to shine as the pinnacle event in the Nordoff Robbins fundraising calendar and a highlight of the year for the music industry, with some of the biggest names coming together for this special event. Overall, 10 awards will be presented – 9 of which will be announced before the awards ceremony. Best Live Act, voted for by the public, will be announced on the day of the awards.
Music charity Nordoff Robbins uses music to transform the lives of people of all ages all over the UK. Supported heavily by the music industry, where they are the charity of choice at the BRITs and the MITs, to date, the O2 Silver Clef Awards, now in its 39th year, has raised over £8 million for Nordoff Robbins since 1976.
Dr Marcus Stephan, CEO of Nordoff Robbins said:
“In the last 39 years, the O2 Silver Clef Awards have become a highlight in the annual music industry calendar. This year we hope the event will raise half a million pounds to fund our life-transforming music therapy work, supporting isolated and vulnerable people across the UK.”
Last year’s O2 Silver Clef winners include Barry Gibb (Lifetime), Coldplay (Best British Act), One Direction (Best Live Act), Labrinth (Innovation), Jessie Ware (Newcomer), Alison Moyet (Icon), Alison Balsom (Classical), Ray Davies (Ambassador of Rock), The Clash (Silver Clef Award) and Vampire Weekend (International). Previous winners include Michael Bublé, Kylie Minogue, Emeli Sandé (who is also an ambassador for the charity), Muse, The Who (who won the first Silver Clef Award in 1976), Elton John, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, Sting, Take That and many more. The Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards 2014 event hopes to raise half a million pounds to fund life-transforming music therapy sessions for children and adults across the UK.
www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk / @NordoffRobbins1 / #O2SilverClefs
