Fans Elbow Their Way to Mercury Winners’ Gig

By Matthew McCreary

ONE of the top draws at this year’s Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s is expected to sell out quickly after winning a major national music prize.

English indie band Elbow scooped the prestigious Nationwide Mercury Prize this week for their latest album The Seldom Seen Kid.

The band will take to the stage at the Grand Opera House on October 26 as part of the festival’s Rock the House series of concerts.

Tickets had already been selling well but the band’s latest success is expected to provide a final boost to demand.

Elbow beat 11 other Mercury nominees to the Pounds 20,000 prize at a ceremony hosted by Jools Holland on Monday.

“I know I’m supposed to be cool and say something coy, but this is quite literally the best thing that’s ever happened to us,” Elbow lead singer Guy Garvey said.

The five-piece band formed in Bury, northwest England, in 1991 but did not release their debut album Asleep in the Back until a decade later.

Meanwhile, tickets have already sold out for music duo, The Swell Season, familiar to many from the hit Dublin-set romantic movie Once, while Seasick Steve and Martha Wainwright tickets are also being snapped up.

Ticket sales have also rocketed over the last few days for another Mercury nominee appearing at the festival this year. Rachel Unthank and the Winterset were nominated for their album The Bairns.

“We’re thrilled to have both a Mercury prize winner and nominee at the festival,” said festival director Graeme Farrow.

“Our music line-up is always one of the most popular features of the programme. Audiences really are spoilt for choice this year.”

Tickets for the shows can be booked online at www.goh.co.uk or on (028) 9024 1919.

(c) 2008 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.