This article is from page 29 of the 2007-09-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 29 JPG
MENTION the words pop or rock band manager and the image that springs to mind is that of a middle- aged, middle spreading man in a suit or a judge on a dodgy reality TV show with a penchant for creating boy bands.
Which makes it all the more sur- prising to learn that a 15-year-old female Mountshannon student has landed the gig that promoters twice her age would give their platinum ODES we
Hannah Ryan has been commis- sioned by Cork-based teenage gig company, Blast Base, to organise their events in Clare.
Blast Base organise and promote alcohol-free events with live bands and DJ’s in Cork, which have be- come hugely successful with young music fans.
Hannah came to their attention when she got involved in a Cork gig on behalf of the Clare band which she manages, Marble Chips.
‘They had only spoken to me on the phone and we discussed me organis- ing Clare gigs for them. When they invited me down for an interview, I think it was a bit of a shock, but when we had talked and I told them what I’d done in the past they agreed to go ahead,” said Hannah.
Hannah organised her first music event at just 13 years of age, when
she staged a Battle of the Bands, organising venues, sound, lighting sponsorship and prizes.
“It turned out to be the biggest bat- tle of the bands held in Clare up to then, with musicians coming from all over,’ said Hannah.
She has organised 17 gigs for her band Marble Chips since she took them on in August and not in any shabby old venues, but settings in- cluding Glor and the Half Moon Theatre in Cork.
And now a second band have ap- proached her to manage them, Schism and that’s while she is still studying with the Steiner-based Alpha Project and taking FETAC exams.
But the first hurdle she has to tackle
to put on the Blastbase gigs in Clare is to find venues.
“These are no-alcohol events, and a lot of places are not willing to close their bars for the night so we need other venues like halls or clubs if this is to happen.”
Anyone who might have a venue on offer for Hannah’s new project should call her on 085 1589498.