:: About Dorset Music Awards ::

:: A Bit Of History

The Dorset Music Awards was started in 2006 as an annual competition that would act as a platform for developing the local music scene.

In its first year it gained the support of local festival: The Larmer Tree Festival, acting as its only prize.

Over the following 3 years it moved from venue to venue, gradually growing and adding features that would see it grow into Dorset's most comprehensive music event aimed at giving opportunities to local musicians. Gradually more and more music industry professionals and organizations wanted to get involved so that today there are a whole host of prizes on offer. We are happy to say that the original Larmer Tree Festival slot is still at the heart of these.

Now with added categories the event seeks to act as a bridge for musicians between Bournemouth and the outside music industry.

:: How Does It Work?

The Dorset Music Awards has five categories. 4 of which are all based online and allow the public (and musicians) to nominate and vote for certain individuals and acts. You can see the categories and start nominating/voting here.

The main award is the Best Live Act Category which has five stages. Each stage is designed to accurately and fairly review each entrant to the competition. The latter rounds also enable the bands to gain maximum public exposure, so that they can increase their chance of building a fan-base and encourage as many public votes as possible. The competition rounds are as follows:

Stage 1: Entry
Stage 1 is designed to filter out the best song writers through listening to their recorded music. To enter bands will sign up to the Dorset Music website www.dorsetmusic.com and create an artist profile, from which the judges will select 40 acts to go on to stage 2. The quality of the recording is not key to this round since our judges are chosen from various sectors of the music industry with the skill and experience to pick out good musicianship and song writing skills rather than focusing on the sound quality of the recording itself.

Stage 2: The Heats - Held at Centre Stage in Bournemouth
Over 2 days 40 bands will play 2 songs each. This is their chance to prove that their live performance lives up to their recorded performance. It is a snapshot opportunity for 20 bands to go through to the quarter final round.

Stage 3: The Quarter Final - Held at The Winchester in Bournemouth
This round introduces a public vote element. It is designed to encourage bands to promote themselves, which is an aspect of gigging at which so many bands fall short. Several bands struggle at this stage but it has proven to be a great way to get the bands to focus on getting new fans.

Stage 4 : The Semi Final - Held at Mr. Kyps Live Music Venue in Poole
The Semi Final is set over two nights. This is where the prize givers get a chance to see the bands for the first time. They will select the 5 that they want to see again in the final and make their decision.

Stage 5: The Final - Held at the O2 Academy in Bournemouth
In the final the top 5 bands/musicians from the semi finals play one final gig in front of an audience and importantly, the prize givers. The bands at this stage will already be familiar to the judges so now it's up to them to prove that they can perform under pressure and that they have an audience that will support them. In 2010 the final was held at the 500 capacity De-Vere Suite of the Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth and was full by 9pm. The 2011 competition will be moving to the grand venue of the O2 Academy in Boscombe.

:: Benefits

The Dorset Music Awards was set up for 3 reasons:

To give local musicians more opportunities within the industry
To bring music industry professionals and beneficial individuals to the Dorset Music Scene
To give a community orientated social event, giving focus and a platform for local artists

Each stage of the competition is designed to be beneficial to the musicians who enter. The earlier rounds are simply to give exposure to the acts within the promoters of the local scene and give an opportunity for bands to share audiences. As the Awards continues other benefits include:

Focussed self promotion
Chances to play at otherwise unobtainable venues
Opportunities to perform in front of otherwise difficult to reach industry professionals
A selection of prizes that would benefit their careers massively

The DMAs are designed to be a community project that acts as a platform for pushing the local scene forward giving valuable lessons, various benefits and a social focus that gives opportunities to local acts, enabling them to see beyond the fringe of Bournemouth and Dorset for their gigs and musical careers.