10.09.2007: Deis Roc:tobar productions

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Deis Roc was the first ever battle of the bands series on TG4. It was broadcast over a 7 week period in Spring 2006, culminating in a live final. It was produced by Tobar Productions in association with Green Inc Film and Television, both Belfast based production companies.

Previously unsigned bands from all over Ireland took up the challenge of singing one of their songs in the medium of Irish in addition to singing in English. An entry of 120 bands was reduced to 12, and these formed the competitors for the televised part of the competition. The winning band Exit the Street from Cork were crowned the outright winners and they landed themselves an all expenses paid trip to Memphis, the home of Rock and Roll where they visited Graceland, Sun Studios and played live in front of an American audience.

This year the competition is much bigger. 16 bands will qualify for the televised part of the series, and there is a much greater emphasis on bands with a student connection. In fact all short-listed bands will be required to play live at a one of six student venues around the country. The public will then decide which of these bands will enter the televised stage.

When the competition opens the bands will be asked to forward demos and application forms before the dead line. The short-listed bands will then perform with bands from within their catchment area at a student venue.

The 16 short-listed bands will come to Belfast at the beginning of December to compete in a recorded televised programme. It is a simple knock out competition. Two bands will go head to head and the public will select one of the bands to go through to the semi finals. Shows 1-8 therefore will feature 2 bands competing. Each semi final will have 4 bands competing and likewise the grand final will feature 4 bands competing to become the outright winner.

The provisional schedule for the series is as follows:

5th October Entry Deadline

23rd October – 1st November Preliminary Rounds in following venues

QUB Belfast 22nd October 07
UCD Dublin 23rd October 07
IT Letterkenny 24th October 07
UL Limerick 29th October 07
UCC Cork 30th October 07
NUI Galway 1st October 07



5th November 16 Finalists Announced on TG4

3rd – 6th December 8 Shows recorded in QUB Belfast

15th Jan – 25th March Shows Transmitted on TG4, Every Tuesday at 11pm with repeats on Fridays at 6pm.

9th March Show 9 (1st Semi-final) recorded in Belfast.

10th March Show 10 (2nd Semi-final) recorded in Belfast.

25th March Grand Final LIVE from Belfast.


For further information email info@tobarproductions.com

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