Let There Be Rock. Again.

After 2017 and 2018’s glorious, groovin’ and surprisingly moving Battle Of The Bands, Greystones’ very own Stepping Stones returns for a third round.

Boasting over €1,500 worth of prizes once again on offer, with both first and second place prizes, this prestigious competition can have a real impact on the lucky winners’ careers.

In 2017, those lucky winners were Temple Carrig School five-piece Taken and Kilcoole indie darlings Feuds, and in 2018, it was Blush (later renamed Talk Like Dog), wonder one-woman-band Emily Beattie, and the mighty duo of Ben Rowsome & Nathan Flanagan (aka Hail & Rain). The deserving winners were gifted with video shoots, major venue gigs, extensive photo shoots, and valuable studio time.

And now, hey, it could be you!

Everyone who entered the previous Stepping Stones competitions deserved to win, of course, as the momentous 2017 live final and 2018 live final proved. If you don’t believe us, check out all the 2018 entries here, and the 2017 entrants here, and tell us you weren’t moved. And grooved. 

All those who entered on previous year are welcome to enter again, but it’s those hiding away in their rooms, rehearsal or otherwise, that we really want to hear from. It’s so easy these days to record your music without any studio time, record labels or session players. So, whether it’s just you and your guitar against the world, or you and your laptop kicking up an electronica storm, send your declaration of soul love to [email protected], along with your name, age and a pic that’s fit to be printed in a family newspaper such as GG.

The competition is open to everyone and anyone in the local municipal district – which is basically Greystones, Newcastle, Kilcoole, Delgany and Killincarrig. Or thereabouts.

We’ll be posting the entries here throughout the month of February, where people can vote for their favourites in the comments section below. There will be a live final once again, this time in over in the mighty Castle Inn, where friends and families – and fans! – will be able to come along and cheer on their heroes. The live video prize will be shot in The Whale in August.

Closing date for entries is April 21st.

Big, big thanks to those grime-loving, guitar-thrashing Greystones Municipal District Council cats for once again funding the coolest Battle Of The Bands in the entire universe. And beyond.

This could be the start of a rock’n’roll dream come true. Or, at the very least, a big feck-off house over in Newcastle.