Bido Lito!

The 12 nominees revealed for the inaugural GIT Award

At a time of great creativity and diversity for Liverpool's music makers, the GIT AWARD announces its shortlist of twelve Liverpool acts that will be vying for the inaugural award. Each of the acts on the list, which represents the vast array of talent being incubated by the city's current music scene, is expected to play at the GIT Award 2012 Show to be held at Leaf on Friday 27th April. The winner will be announced on the night, which will be hosted by journalist and Goldblade vocalist John Robb.

The list in full is:

BILL RYDER-JONES / BANG ON / TEA STREET BAND / EX-EASTER ISLAND HEAD / MUGSTAR / STEALING SHEEP / MISS STYLIE / FOREST SWORDS / LOVED ONES / ESCO WILLIAMS / NINETAILS / OUTFIT

GIT Award founder Peter Guy says of the event: “The first GIT Award shortlist highlights the wealth of new musical talent within Merseyside. The artists are ambitious and inventive, emotional and passionate, funny and profound. They evoke a sense of time and place, providing a wonderful snapshot of Merseyside’s varied sonic landscape proving why Liverpool is still the centre of the music universe.”

Applications for this year's award opened in November 2011, and just shy of 400 entries were made by hopefuls up until the closing date in February. Those entries have been whittled down to the final twelve by a panel of judges, comprising local afficionados from Bido Lito!, EVOL, Liverpool Footbal Club and Waxxx, with input on a national level from The Quietus, NME, The Guardian and VICE Magazine.

The winner of the award will receive an incredible prize, which includes recording time at Liverpool’s Sandhills Studio and a showcase at this year’s Liverpool Sound City and Liverpool Music Week festivals. The winners will also play a gig at Vice Magazine’s London bar The Old Blue Last, as well as having a promo shot by Virgin Media Shorts filmmaker of the Year nominee Ian Gamester to be screened at FACT.

For more details on the GIT Award, including further information about the award night and biogs about the shortlisted bands and judges, please visit Peter Guy's Getintothis blog.