The west of Ireland’s largest music venue has been shortlisted for the second annual IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards.
The Royal Theatre and Event Centre in Castlebar is one of 25 venues shortlisted for the prestigious award which recognises Irish venues which provide the very highest standards in live music entertainment. More than 400 venues across Ireland qualified for the awards and more than 6,000 IMRO members were asked to vote for their top picks in an online poll. Venues are judged on a number of criteria including ambience, staging, sound and lighting facilities, diversity of programming, venue staff and management, and promotional activities.
The awards acknowledge the efforts made by live music venues in providing quality entertainment for the Irish public and the role they play in developing and nurturing the music community in Ireland.
Along with one overall award for National Live Music Venue of the Year, awards will be presented to the leading live music venues in the following regions: Dublin, Leinster (excluding Dublin ) Connacht, Munster, and Ulster (covering Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan ).
There will also be a special Hot Press Readers’ Award for Best Venue, as voted by Hot Press magazine readers. This will give music fans the opportunity to support their favourite live music venues across Ireland.
The IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards 2009 will take place on Tuesday, December 1 at IMRO headquarters in Dublin.
Other nominees include top Dublin venues such as the O2, Vicar Street, and Whelans, and in Connacht the Roisin Dubh and the Town Hall Theatre in Galway.
