The festival will open on the 10th of May and will come to an end on the 17th of May and if last year’s event is anything to go by, this year’s festival will be better and even bigger, in fact they have moved the festival from their normal location to Bulebel. Slowly it is establishing itself as one of the event all the lovers of local music look forward to, in fact a number of people have been asking about the festival for quite some time. Each and every day has a special theme or a special act assigned to it which also includes a foreign tribute band of one of the biggest bands that ever existed.

Friday - 10th May at 21:00

Kevin Borg Live in Concert

Supported by: Glen Vella, Pamela, Barber’s Cut & Paul Curmi Dance Studio 

Saturday - 11th May at 21.00

Ira Losco Live in Concert

Supported by: Planet Seed & The New Victorians

Sunday - 12th May at 20.30

Pop Hits & Maltese Classics

Eleanor Cassar, Stephanie Zammit, Georgina, Franklin Calleja, Chris Grech, Olivia Lewis,

Luisana Bartolo, Nadine Barolo, Charlotte Bartolo & Gillian Attard’s Children Choir 

Monday - 13th May at 20:30

Red Electrick, The Riffs & The Crowns

Tuesday - 14th May at 20:30

The Green Gathering

Tarcisio Barbara, Kirstie Barbarbara, Kurt Galea, Naomi Balzan, Katoushka Mifsud, Malcolm Camilleri, Kirstie Balzan

Feast songs: Eleanor Cassar, Gillian Attard, Alexia Fenech, Stephen Mizzi

Wednesday - 15th May at 20:30 

Guns 2 Rose – Tribute Band

Supported by:  Fuse Box & Harriet Cohen

Thursday - 16th May at 20:30

Eurovision Song Contest – Second Semi-Final on a Big Screen (Malta’s Night)

Friday – 17th May at 20:30 

Bon Jovi Tribute

One can see the festival as an opening to the summer months activities as other activities take place all around the island during the summer months but most of them would not be held on such a grand scale. To organize such a massive event is not easy and Beland would not have been able to provide such a field with different artists were it not for the support they found from their sponsors. The event is free of charge but those in attendance are encouraged to give a small donation that will go directly to Puttinu cares as for another year, the event is being held in aid of Puttinu Care which works for such a noble case. So remember from the 10th of May to the 17th of May your entertainment spot should be in Zejtun at the Beland Music Festival. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for more information.

Source: The Beland Music Festival Facebook Page

Mega Music Management and the Public Broadcasting Services perfectly coordinated the organation of the Malta Music Awards last night, following the extremely successful Malta Eurovision Song Contest that took place on Friday and Saturday seeing to the victory of Gianluca Bezzina and his entry Tomorrow co-written by Boris Cezek and Dean Muscat.  In reality, many believe that the awards that took place last night were professionally executed with main hosts; Keith Demicoli and Mandy Micallef Grimaud leading an impressive line-up of guest presenters. The Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre played the venue for the event, which did not offer real surprises in terms of award presentations. 

Headlining the event last night was nother than Australian/British artist, Peter Andre who has released eight studio albums, the last of which being Angels & Demons in 2012 which managed to sneak into the top twenty on the charts in the United Kingdom where he has gained notoriety following his failed marriage to reality television star, Katie Price.  The show had an astonishing line-up incorporating together; Stalko, Duo Blank, Niki Gravino, Planet Seed, Monroe, Ira Losco, Red Electrick, Hooligan, Ylenia Vella and the recent Malta Eurovision Song Contest winner, Gianluca Bezzina. The camera work was effective, the staging as seen throughout the weekend was stunning and the public will be able to view all of the awards his Saturday night on Television Malta, starting as from 20:45 CET.

It seems that the jury was somewhat quite intrigued with the talent in the past twelve months when one takes into account that the most awards that an act won, was just two in total with Red Electrick taking home Best Band and Best Song. Nevertheless, it seems that newcomers have a tendency to steal the spotlight and the Mumford and Sons feel around Stalko is quickly growing as their debut single, In a Hurry helped them win Best New Artists. The Best Album award was given to Tribali whilst the Best Solo Artist went towards female performer; Brooke who has in the past couple of months returned to the industry with singles Fairytale and Bingo. The Best Hip Hop / R'nB artist award was given to Hooligan who most recently released his third album entitled Trioriginali whilst the return of Ira Losco was also respected by a Best Video Award for her hit single 'What I'd Give'. 

The Best Upcoming Talent Award was given to Ylenia Vella, who just competed in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest whilst the Maltese Export Artist was ten year old Gaia Cauchi. Beheaded were awarded the award for Best Metal Band. Due to his presence in Malta, it was definitely expected when Peter Andre was recognised for his services to music and the crowd did seem extraordinarily excited in each of his performances. The Malta Music Awards, have become somewhat a tradition in the local music calender and therefore, it is rather imperative that their organisation continues in the years ahead because the scene is really contributing in a positive manner. We would like you to stay tuned to escflashmalta.com during the year as we continue to cover all of the latest from the local music scene with regards to new releases, and events.

Source: Mega Music Management, Public Broadcasting Services

89.7 Bay embarked on a mission a couple of years back to promote the local music scene and considering the astonishing amount of tracks that have been played on the radio station throughout this particular year, it seems that their efforts are paying off noting that success has become their trademark. The ninth edition of the Bay Music Awards which took place last night at the Bay Arena in St Julians were running under the theme Party Like It's The End of the World and there was a buzzing feeling in the crowd featuring people of all generations, representing the various artists who were nominated or performed. The build up was intense and several people were left on edge until the first performance, even preceding the introduction of the hosts took place. A lot was riding on the evening which included live performances for the very first time and apart from some mixing issues in the beginning of two performances, one could say it was a huge success.

89.7 Bay well represents the upcoming generation of artists and it seems that the fans that they are bringing with them are becoming more vocal when considering that the new guard was well promoted and ultimately ended up winning the most awards amongst seasoned veterans whose music is still very strong with the right to garner airplay and even nominations. Nevertheless, when tele-voting is the source of the actual vote, it is to be noted that the fan base becomes notorious and the younger generation have become accustomed to this element. Without a doubt, the live performances went down well with the crowd noting that Scar, Brooke, Christabelle, Dimal ft Lyndsay and Red Electrick gave the show the much needed boost to make it stand out. The audience was in full support to the act pictures above though as announced at the latter stage of the evening by Benjamin Glover, one of the three hosts of the evening which also included Dorian Cassar of Bay Breakfast and Nathan D from Malta's Top Ten and the Drive-time Show.

• Best Newcomers: Cryptic Street
• Best Band: Red Electrick
• Best Dance Tune / Remix: Love Hangover (JJoy ft. Kelly Stelfox)
• DJ's Choice: Ira Losco
• Best Solo Artist: Christabelle
• Best Song: My World (Carlo Gerada ft. Jan Cortez)
• Screamer Award: Red Electrick

The features with regards to the upcoming edition of the Bay Music Awards officially come to an end with the revelation of the tracks which the radio station has selected to represent the best elements of the industry for the past couple of months. Separate categories have already been well represented by solo artists or bands, those of which have already earned the right to be called established as well as those who are ready for their big break. In recent years, tracks released by local artists have been earning several positive criticism from foreign members of the press and this is due to the fact that there is more thought put in behind every piece of lyric and every note within the composition in itself. Record studios have become much more professionalism and production is sometimes even conducted abroad in order to have that perfect enhancement. 89.7 Bay has always been on the front line to promote the best possible tracks, ones which the people would enjoy listening to and are easy on the ear. Therefore, it is not surprising to note that for the ninth edition of the Bay Music Awards, the Best Song of the past couple of months will be given an award during a ceremony which is taking place at the Bay Arena on the 12th December 2012 hosted by Ben Glover, Dorian Cassar and Nathan D, the latter of which is pictured below.

It is important to note that this is the only category which only comprises of four entries and kicking off things is none other than Ira Losco who earns a second nomination, this time for her track What I’d Give which is a different tune to what the people have come to expect from the former Eurovision Song Contest representative whose hiatus from music was somewhat well adapted for a major comeback. In fact, it is important to note that the genre of the new track, the lead single off her yet unnamed album is a mixture of soul, funk and a little bit of reggae making it extremely distinguishable from anything else on the market. Ira Losco has been around for quite some time noting that she first emerged in the local music scene by virtue of winning the Konkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza before finishing second in the Eurovision Song Contest. Upon her return to Malta from the latter event, she joined forces with Howard Keith of Jagged House and together have created magic for many to enjoy. As previous stated, she is set to drop a brand new album in the beginning of next year.

Two nominations during the evening are quite intriguing because one would definitely hope to end up finishing in the top position within both or at least one. The second act to garner a nomination is the group Red Electrick who have invented themselves in the past couple of months, coming up with brand new material which shows versatility in composition and vocals. As a matter of fact, one of such results is surely Paul which was a major hit earlier this year. Creative control has been the major element in their success having left on good terms with their management Jagged House with the idea to change their genre and ultimately be more mature in their decisions. Their debut single entitled Who The Heck Is Rek was and remains a crowd pleasure and is included in several of their playlists but then again, their recent album The Unplugged Sessions shows why the group have decided to take up issues in their own hands. The acoustic feel has saw them gain an edge over several other bands in the country.  Matthew and Peter have co-written the track Never Walk Away for Chris Grech in the next Malta Eurovision Song Contest.

My World has been described by critics and one of the most notable tracks to have been released within the summer months and this is surely the case according to the thoughts put forward by the people. Gaining a nomination in this category was no mean feat especially when one considers that a number of tracks were omitted from the list despite having the airplay and the credibility. Carlo Gerada is no newcomer to the music scene and has worked on several tracks in the past whilst Jan Cortez is slightly more fresh having come off a talent show a couple of years back where he did his best to prove his talent. This is a duo which has worked well and could be described as a combination of pleasure and hard work. As a matter of fact, despite being nominated for the best song category, it seems that they are heavily favoured to come out on top in another category featured earlier on, that being the one of Dance Music. They have definitely worked hard to show that they indeed could be successful and a possible double is not out of the equation especially with a large fan-base. 

One would say that leaving the act for last means that they are the best and Scar have truly well represented the local music industry for several years with the band name stretching back a couple of decades and still proving successful. This band has always managed to remain at the top of the peoples’ acclaim due to the fact that they are current and promote music which the people enjoy. In their careers, they have been noted to participate in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest back in 2007 with the track As Long As You Know which managed to finish in sixth place whilst they prepare for a second participation next year as they participate with Superstar which is written by Konrad Pule who just happens to be the lead vocalist in the band. There is a certain aura and a chemistry which also makes them extremely likable and if they continue this acoustic feel to their songs, it also shows maturity, but one which is very different to that being presented by Red Electrick. The song which has garnered the nomination is a gem entitled White Lie and had also lead the charts a couple of weeks back.

The was the fifth and last in a series of features that escflashmalta.com has planned for the 2012 edition of the Bay Music Awards and that is because people have to party as if it's the end of the world. Voting officially came to a close at midnight on Wednesday and therefore, votes cannot be cast but if so, they will not count and may still be charged. We hope that you have already cast your vote though. Nevertheless, you can also be part of the Bay Music Awards as a spectator by virtue of entering in our competition which could see you attending this years’ showcase. The question we’re asking is; Which female artist nominated for the Bay Music Awards has been to the Eurovision Song Contest? Send your answers to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by not later than Saturday 8th December 2013 at 23:59 CET. In the meantime, stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for all of the latest news.

Source: 89.7 Bay, escflashmalta.com

Several music critics have gone on record stating that the local industry required a little bit of diversity and when looking back at what was being offered, this was surely the case but gone are the days when soloists dominate the radio scene because there is a new wave of bands which are definitely coming into focus and taking the limelight away. As a matter of fact, many have described the influx as a meteoric rise of success because they do not just put out music but through their respective genres and niches manage to release good material which is normally enjoyable to various demographics in society. One of the particular radio stations to promote a talented bunch of musicians is surely 89.7 Bay having spearheaded the campaign to see through that there is a progression in the local music scene. It should come to no surprise then that the ninth edition of the Bay Music Awards will be once more awarding the Best Band Award during the ceremony which is set to take place at the Bay Arena on the 12th December 2012 hosted by Ben Glover, Dorian Cassar and Nathan D.

It has been decided that five nominees should make up this extremely tough category although it is fair to say that there could have been some other contenders in the list. Nevertheless, kicking off with the first band; Red Electrick, one which has been featuring heavily in 2012 especially after deciding to take up full creative control over their music having previously worked with the likes of Howard Keith from Jagged Records. Their initial release off their latest effort was of course the sublime track 'Paul' and it was just the beginning of a successful era with 'The Unplugged Sessions', originally a concert which was aired at the cinema. The members of the band are Matt, Pete, Jonas, Ivan and Raf and they make up what has become a solid band in the local music industry. Many will remember one of their debut singles; 'Who the Heck' is REK!? which easily topped the radio charts in the country. Two of the members; Matthew James Borg and Peter Borg have also co-written a track entitled 'Never Walk Away' for the upcoming Malta Eurovision Song Contest making it to the final sixty-nine tracks with vocals by Chris Grech. We wish them the very best of luck.

The second band to have been given a nomination is another one which does not actually need too much of an introduction having been around for quite some time, undergoing a couple of line-up changes along the way before ultimately becoming one which features Konrad Pule as the lead vocalist. The band whose name is Scar has managed to remain current despite the wave of foreign sounds which has been infiltrating the market and their last studio release 'Breaking Radio Silence'. Despite the album being put out quite a while ago, the music is still relevant and their most recent offering entitled 'White Lie' clearly shows that they are in the scene in order to remain there. They also took part in the 2007 Malta Song for Europe competition finishing in sixth place and have submitted yet another entry in the upcoming editio of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest entitled 'Superstar'. The band features the already mentioned Konrad Pule who also a co-writer, Michael Scicluna, Arda Baykurt and David Cassar Torreggiani. Once more, we would like to wish them the very best of luck with their competition endeavours for yet another year.

The third band to have been given the nomination is actually one of the newest bands in the local music scene by the name Saving Alexis. In fact, they first came together in 2010 and ultimately had been awarded with the Best Newcomer Award at this same prestigious ceremony held by 89.7 and it is to be noted that they bring that something different to the table because their music is highly describable as power pop with several influences from modern rock'n'roll to classical jazz. Clear dedication is what has been the successful factor in this group and coming about from the same town is definitely another positive attribute to have aided their success. It is highly notable that all of their releases have managed to enter within the playlists of 89.7 Bay and other local radio stations ultimately ranking in the top positions making them somewhat a little bit of having a midas touch with their music, knowing exactly what to put out there without losing their creative control. This is their first nomination in this category. The band is made up of Clayton Bonelo, Chris Cass, Melchior Busuttil, and Chris Farrugia.

Intriguing. That is the word I will be using to describe the fourth nominees in this group of absolutely delightful acts who not only release great music but ultimately provide a great show. Three Stops to China are also relatively new to the music scene but it does feel like they have been around for quite some time, probably because people have become accustomed to hearing their music on the radio. In their official Facebook page, they official describe themselves as to being all about the hype and that is actually an element to succeed in the music industry. It is vital to get the people behind you. Their genre has really been of a progressive nature but that is what most people would probably denote. They are coming up against some of the most notable names in the local music industry in this category but they are truly deserving of the nomination, which I believe is actually not the very first time either having been nominated in another year not too long ago. Their music has also performed solidly on the chart and people are definitely waiting for more.

One final band to garner a nomination into this years' edition of the Bay Music Awards is Dolls for Idols which very much like the previous two have not been around in the industry for an extremely long period of time. Once more diversity plays an extremely important role behind obtaining this achievement because they are the best representatives for Electronic music at the moment. In fact, their material was somewhat very current about two years ago but when they released their most recent tracks, it seems that they managed to keep up their sound whilst still managing to remain true to the current music scene. The group Dolls for Idols is made up of Clint Spiteri, Aaron Sammut and Erick Saliba. Their line up has also been extremely consistent and therefore keeps within the element that consistency is the key behind success. They have a good music following and in fact, their fans are relAtively noisy so this definitely gives them the possibility to cause an upset for this award in particular but also possibly for another award.

This was the second  in a series of features that escflashmalta.com has planned for the 2012 edition of the Bay Music Awards and that is because people have to party as if it's the end of the world. In order to vote for the Best Band Award, it is vital to send an sms with either of these acts' respective name sakes as show in the article in bold to 50615303. Make sure that the vote you make is for the song which you believe deserves the award because it managed to make some sort of impact. The voting is open until the 5th December which is roughly just less than a month. Make sure to get cracking and stay tuned to both escflashmalta.com and 89.7 Bay for all of the latest updates from this years' edition of the prestigious music awards

Source: 89.7 Bay, escflashmalta.com

89.7 Bay has been the leading radio station to promote the local Music scene and in fact, has helped artists develop their talent through the medium of broadcasting. In the past couple of years, there have been some distinct improvements in quality when it comes to the respective industry and therefore it is imperative that artists are rewarded for their talent through the annual Bay Music Awards which were officially launched this morning at the Intercontinental Hotel in Paceville. This will be the ninth year of the radio stations' music awards and it will be the biggest yet according to Kevin DeCesare, director of the Eden Leisure Group.

This years' edition of the Bay Music Awards will be taking place on the 12th December, the eve of a Public Holiday and will run under the theme Party Like it's the End highlighting the element that several people have been talking about this year. escflashmalta.com has been a stalwart in promoting both aspects of the local music scene although, one would have to note that there is a merge between the two due to the growing element of professionalism. In fact, there are several artists who have a connection with the Eurovision Song Contest, both on a local level as well as an international level. We are proud to be collaborating with 89.7 Bay on this years' ceremonies. In the meantime, please check out the nominees below.

Best Newcomer (50615301)

Cryptic Street

Dimal

Lost Emotion

Planet Seed

Best Dance Tune or Remix (50615302)

'My World' - Carlo Gerada ft. Jan Cortez 

'Battle of Wills' - Corinna

'Love Hangover' - JJoy ft. Kelly Stelfox

'Defenceless' - Ruby ft. Laura Jae

'Louder' - Stevy Vee & Ross Paterson ft. Glen Vella

Best Band (50615303)

Dolls for Idols

Red Electrick

Scar

Saving Alexis

Three Stops to China

Best Solo Artist (50615304)

Brooke

Chrisabelle

Ira Losco

Kurt Calleja

Muxu

Best Song (50615305)

'My World' - Carlo Gerada ft. Jan Cortez 

'What I'd Give' - Ira Losco

'Paul' - Red Electrick

'White Lie' - Scar

This years' edition of the Bay Music Awards will be hosted by Nathan D, Ben Glover and Dorian Cassar who hold the most noted shows on the broadcaster. It also has to be noted that all of the performances of the evening will be live except those from the best newcomer category in order to get into their respective element. One of the awards to be given out during the evening will be based on the amount of screams for each respective performance so one has to make sure that the fans will be present during the evening. Regular tickets will be going on sale at €10 with the front section tickets being sold at €15 and the VIP tickets with an open bar and canapés will be going for €30. Tickets will be sold online through the official website.

Source: 89.7 Bay

Several aspects of education have to be dealt with accordingly in order to ensure that each respective individual is making the most of his life and that is why the University of Malta does more to promote not only the typical lectures which come with every respective course but also to having a social life within other institutions that ultimately make the all round experience more vital. KSU is the representative student body of the educational facility and it has helped improve the life of students through a number of projects in the years gone by with a recently elected council looking to continue doing more of the same. This years' edition of the Freshers Week will ultimately come to a close this Friday evening with the KSU Pepsi Campus Fest 2012, featuring a host of local talent coming from the radio scene as per the collaboration brought forward annually with 89.7 Bay which is the officially station on Campus.

The local music scene has been greatly developing in the past couple of weeks, months and years and therefore, several teenagers or rather people moving out of their teens are getting more accustomed to a particular sound on the radio and these are exactly the type of bands that the Student Council is bringing forward to the event which is being sponsored a number of major companies as you can see on the Official Facebook Event. Amongst the names that are set to perform, there are Jane Doe, Relikc, Dolls for Idols, Red Electrick and Fakawi in that respective order. The level of professionalism in this years' organization is surely to be commended for noting that Zoe Farrugia and Ryan Grech responsible for the Culture & Entertainment Office are surely putting in the work to be remembered by the end of their respective term whilst making sure that their fellow peers enjoy themselves. It has to be pointed out that most of the groups in the line-up have been featured in one way or another on escflashmalta.com and that is why, we are proud to collaborate as a media outlet for this event which is free of charge and will be taking place Friday night on Campus.

Source: The KSU Pepsi Campus Fest 2012 Official Event Page

Malta is a small country and therefore, it has to be noted down that there are quite a number of limitations when it comes to the music industry and therefore, charity events have to be a must sometimes in order to give back to the society that has already given support and praise in the years before. One of such events will surely be the Badass Man on Fire Festival which will be taking place in the coming days. It is to be noted that this will be the main event following a trial run held in April this year. The venue has been decided to be the Trade Fair which has decided to support the cause of the Betfair Lifecycle Challenge.

It is going to be quite the event to attend with the organizers saying that it will be one of those showcases which will secure a place in the memory of the individual for years to come. There will be a small entrance fee to cover the expenses of the actual event but then again, the donation will be given to the Renal Unit at Mater Dei Hospital meaning that there will not be just one euro cent of profit made out of the event. In the meantime, The Bar Group as well as Badass Burgers will be providing food and drinks with the proceeds once more going to the cause at hand. Whilst it is pivotal for one to have fun, there will also be a supportive theme so that everyone could have a branded identity and it has been decided that everyone should keep in line with Aussie traditions including costumes, props, and even face painting. Anything you could think of is acceptable of course, so make sure to use your imagination.

The event will be having it's fair share of musical entertainment as mentioned above and it is quite the line-up featuring established as well as up and coming names including the likes of Red Electrick, Irie Flow, Miss Chief, Binary Funk, Matematikal, Birdd, Mato, and For Strings Inn amongst others. There will be a host of other things taking place and therefore, we would like to officially support this event as escflashmalta.com for giving the time and the opportunity for upcoming talent to take centre stage and entertain the people. Stay tuned in the coming weeks in order to learn about more upcoming events in the industry.

Source: Press Release

Red Electrick is a band which has drummed up a lot of support throughout the years because apart from making extremely good music, they are known for loving everything they commit themselves to do and that is a very good quality. In recent months, they have been working on a brand new set of tracks with the strong five man line-up looking to create a brand new aura, a genre that will ultimately see them succeed in this line of work. Most recently, they have somewhat taken up creative control over their releases noting that working with the Indie Label of Jagged House brought them a number of useful contacts. Their most latest track as released just a couple of weeks back is Paul and it seems that this new re-branding is coming across well.

A couple of years back, the band showed how diverse it could be through their music in their respective debut album entitled Vine Lady with tracks such as Jail Bail and Who the Heck Is Rek!? included in the final tracklist due to the fact that they were proven popular by the fans. Nevertheless, Red Electrick have decided to stick to releasing good music which makes them feel good and despite the fans liking the content, it was never intentionally put out because the public likes it. The recent event bearing the name 'Red Electrick: The Unplugged Sessions' was a huge success with sold out audiences watching the group perform acoustically. Through the showcase, they managed to re-invent their music and capture their audience in a brand new light. Paul, the recent release of the group is heading the local top ten on 89.7 Bay for the fourth straight week. Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com for more about local artists.

Source: escflashmalta, Facebook, 89.7 Bay

Another week has gone by, and Bay Radio gives you once again the latest hits from the Maltese Islands. There are a number of  acts that are successfully managing to interact with the people through the medium of music. There is a quintessential line-up of stars, all vying for that elite number 1 position but nevertheless, some people have to settle for the other positions in the top ten. Bay radio has aided in promoting local talent to a larger extent by virtue of taking on tracks which they deem fit to be played on the station. The chart show hosted every Saturday by Nathan D at 13:30CET has once more been through another edition. Below you will hear the tracks of the top ten along with biographical information about each respective act. Well done to all of the acts! 

This week’s number 10 and number 9 are two brand new entries. At number 10 stands a fresh new Maltese band with their new single Bullets and Poetry. Saving Alexis is a pop-rock quartet fueled up with teenage energy and fresh sounds. Composed of four locals – three of them Gozitan – the band is based in Marsa, Malta. Since 2008, they have shared stages with several established Maltese acts such as Skimmed, and have played in numerous high profile events, such as Notte Bianca in ’08,’09 and ’10. In May of 2010, the first single “Lipstick Lies” was recorded with the help of producers Kenny D’Ugo and Dave Calleja and released to the airwaves. After one week of airplay on 89.7 Bay Radio, the song debuted at 6th place in the Bay Radio Malta’s Top 10 Chart. It eventually moved up to 1st place where it stayed for four consecutive weeks. The song’s success led to further airplay on other radio stations such as XFM 100.2, Radio 101 and Galaxy Radio, and to the band’s nomination for the Best Newcomers Award at the 2010 Bay Music Awards. In late 2010, new lead guitarist Chris “Red” was introduced to Saving Alexis to coincide with the recording of the second single. Ocean Deep was officially released in January of 2011 and eventually reached 1st place in Bay Radio’s Malta’s Top 10 Chart, marking two consecutive number one singles for the band. In all, the single spent 11 weeks in the chart. In the summer of 2011, the band’s third single, High on July” was released, accompanied by a music video filmed and produced by Nick Morales and No Sweat Productions. Featuring ska guitars and rap verses, the song slowly climbed to the number one spot in Bay Radio’s Malta’s Top 10 Chart, hence confirming the third consecutive number one single. Musical influences vary a lot for Saving Alexis, from classical jazz to more modern rock n’ roll. Apart from music, other influences include everything from the street lights to the movie life, Japan, speed, love n’ hate.

At number 9 stands Cruz’s latest single, Have it all. CRUZ was formed in late 2009 that brought about different flares of pop, funk, disco, and electronic-rock. After a few months of work (the garage days!) the band played live in some local bars followed by a summer packed of events including MTV Malta Music Week, Beer Fest and supporting act for the local band Winter Moods. For such a 'young' band, the Winter Moods gig, won through a competition, was the highlight of the summer, with a performance in front of a 10, 000 and more strong audience. Cruz's first single 'Red Tape' was then released on Malta's top radio stations. Ending the year with a bang, Cruz won the Bay Band Award at The 2010 Bay Music Awards in December and on New Years Eve Cruz, were announced winners of the prestigous TVM VIEWERS CHOICE award from the BMAS 2010. 2011 was a change-making year for CRUZ which saw a fresh face on the drums as Melchior Busuttil (full time endorsed drummer) joined the scene. a lot of hard work and a comittment to excellence paid off once again as 2011 CRUZ single STALK HAWK was met with incredible feedback by radios and the media alike. STALK HAWK' paved the way for CRUZ to become winners of the BEST NEW ARTIST AWARD at the Malta Music Awards 2011. 

And after several weeks in the top 3, Wintermoods, Miss You, has gone down to position number 8, after last week’s position number 7. It’s like the ‘odd-one-out’ of the chart, since firstly, it is a ballad, and secondly, its lyrics are so deep. Nonetheless, Wintermoods was, is and will remain the most loved Maltese band, no matter what position their songs are in the charts. inter Moods was formed in mid-eighties. Two young musicians, including bassist Joseph Rizzo were in a band in search for a vocalist. They took on a friend still in his teens, Ivan Grech. They preferred music over everything else in life. They met frequently in a garage in Senglea on cold grey days to put together their own original songs. Thus the mood, thus the name of the band – Winter Moods. The early years were all about playing in front of a crowd. The local music scene was ripe with activity. Bands came and went, some making more noise than others. Only one band stood the test of time, evolving and adapting itself to the changes in the music scene. Etienne Robinich joined on keyboards. During the nineties the emergence of new radio stations put an emphasis on airplay. Winter Moods released their first single Sarah, which was an instant hit with listeners. This song remains one of the band’s most popular tracks to this day. ‘Sarah’ was included in the band’s first CD album released in 1996. Self-titled Winter Moods, the album was reminiscent of the members’ original influences. Guitarist Melvin Caruana was the last member to join the band in 1997. Shortly after, in 2000, the band went on to launch their next CD album, Morning Ale.

In the meantime, Ordinary Men became the band’s best selling album to date, and includes the band’s most famous song ‘Marigold’.The band’s youngest member, Karl Fenech joined in 2009 to play on drums. Winter Moods celebrated their silver anniversary in 2010 with the launch of a new album , ‘Argento’. Winter Moods etched their name in Maltese music history by performing in front of 10,000 people at The Granaries, Floriana in July 2010. It was the largest ever Maltese crowd to attend a paying concert by a Maltese artist. Winter Moods only superseded their own 2008 record when over 7500 people had turned up for their concert at the Valletta Waterfront. Over the years Winter Moods garnered several awards. The band was voted as the Best Band at six editions of the Malta Music Awards (1997, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010). Winter Moods also received the Best Song award for their timeless hit ‘Marigold’ (2007) and ‘My Neverland’ (2010), and the Best Song Writer award for Ivan Grech in 2007 and 2010. In 2008 the band was awarded the Legends Award – the first time such an award was handed out. During the Bay Music Awards 2004 Winter Moods were awarded the Icon Award for their on going contribution to the Maltese music scene and for the success their countless singles have had on 89.7 Bay. During the Bay Music Awards 2005 the band won best single of the year award for ‘Closer’ and the best single of all time award for ‘Everyday Song’. In 2007 the band garnered a further three BMAs this time for Best Band, Best Song (Marigold) and the Viewers’ Choice.

Lyndsay’s Runaway, moves up to position number 7, after last week’s entry in position number 8. Lyndsay has had several top 10 hits in Malta including System Overload, Zip It Up and Going Under.  She has been a resident singer on several prime time entertainment shows in Malta and was also part of an all girl band called Vieve. Christabelle’s new single, Say is continuing its race with Lindsay’s single, and this week, the young artist is at position number 6. It has a very particular feel, very ‘international sound’, very different style from her. She is one of Malta’s most prominent young singers that has busted the music scene, scooping up Music Awards and shooting to number 1 on the radio charts with every single release! She is currently studying and living in Malta but co-works and writes her music with a London producer and every couple of months she is in London recording her songs in studios the likes of Metropolis. She has been in the music scene from age 4. By 12 she had already participated and placed in numerous local festivals and gone on to participate in international ones.   In 2003 she was invited by Joanna Franchi to take part in the ‘Golden Magnolia’ held in Louisiana Baton Rouge New Orleans America. There she won the F.I.D.O.F. award for the best most outstanding young performer. This set her off to further ventures and training including memorable ones under Seth Riggs (who trained the likes of Michael Jackson) whom she met at an SLS (Speech Level Singing) Camp in Los Angeles in 2006.  Performing in front of a small crowd is n’ t what one would consider to be as the most memorable performance in their life but for Christabelle it happened that summer when she was asked to perform in front of some decision making people in the US music industry.  She was asked to fly back to Los Angeles the following year and recorded her first 3 songs abroad and for her that was it. As she builds her repertoire of new releases, develops her talent for song writing and co-producing and turns into an artist, Christabelle is currently working on her 1st album and is ready to be launched. 

Bridget Bone retain position number 5 for the third week in a row, with the song Gregory Jackson. Having broken into the local scene only a couple of months ago, Bridget Bone is a relatively young, 4 peice band. The idea to form the band came back in 2007 when Julian Borg (Drums) and Karl Gauci (Vocals & Guitars) came up with the idea to form an alternative rock band. The idea came during an open air gig at Ta’ Qali. Neither of them played instruments and after 3 months Karl had started to play the guitar and a year after Julian had started the drums. After some time they contacted Keith Sammut and he decided to join them as a guitarist. Their search for a fourth member inevitably led them to long time close friend, Bertram, who joined the band as bassist. In 2008 Bridget Bone then got their hands on a decent place to jam and from there onwards new ideas and grungy riffs started to form Bridget Bone. After a year Keith Sammut (Guitars) left the band due to his intense studies and although this was a very hard decision, he still manages to come and jam with the band as old habits die hard. He was replaced by the newest member of the band Andrew Francica (Guitars). Bridget Bone are now working on some new songs as well as setting up gigs for the near future.

Paul from Red Electrick has kept last week’s position, position number 4. They will soon be launching their new project in the local cinemas, after filming their ‘un-plugged’ sessions of their songs, and this single is one of them. I’m talking about Red Electrick, who have proven to be an excellent band with great potential. ‘Paul’ is very simple song, with a superb male vocal and really smooth instruments (piano and guitar mainly). What makes the band work so well is most likely to do with the artistic diversity of its individual members. Not only do they bring a variety of musical influences to the table, they’re all pretty different characters too, which usually comes in handy when it comes to igniting their creative spark. The band’s debut album, ‘Vine Lady’ is a fine example of just how different, yet consistently effervescent Red Electrick can be; small wonder then that it has been critically acclaimed as a firm stepping stone for this band that is simply brimming with energy and enthusiasm. And this week’s top three remain nearly the same as last week, with a slight expcetion in the first two positions …

Position Number 3: For Strings Inn, with the song Julie July. For Strings Inn is a four-piece band which was founded in Malta in 2008 when the owners ran into each other after their long separate journeys up and down the hills of music. Feeling stronger and full of energy they decided to fuse 'For Strings Inn' through their common influences in style. Having already formed part of other legendary underground local bands, the individuals forming this band need no introduction with the Maltese music lovers. So 'For Strings Inn' welcomes you to their inn, in which the music here is still fresh and nothing like anything ever heard before. In 2009 'For Strings Inn' entered Temple studios Malta to record their first Extended Play. The EP, '…with Strings attached', was launched in December 2010. From this EP the band released their first two singles, 'Beyond Infinity' and 'Strada Bar'. These two tracks entered the Maltese top ten charts, and also got great response from their respective fans. Apart from numerous promotional local gigs in 2010, together with other local and foreign bands, the band also performed 7 shows during two mini tours in Denmark and France. Indeed they got great response from the public which still shows to date with the continuous extension of their fan base. 2011 was another year full of events for 'For Strings Inn'. In the studio together with renowned producer David Vella of Temple Studios, who worked with great producers such as Mike Hedges (Cure, Travis) and Phil Vinall (Placebo, Radiohead), 'For Strings Inn' are planning the release of another set of singles to open the route for a full length album. They released their 3rd single 'Morning Star' in August and 4th single 'Julie July' in March '12 both accompanied by a music video directed and produced by nick morales/hotshoeflash.

Position Number 2: features JJoy Feat. Kelly Stelfox with the club song Love Hangover which has been co-written by Gerard James Borg, which went down from position number 1 after 2 weeks, whilst position number 1, this week, is proudly owned by Dj. Ruby feat.Laura Jee, with the song Defencless. Both Dj’s are renowed in our islands and they seem that they will be continue battling for the first two positions of the chart. Who knows?! Stay tuned to escflashmalta.com to know each week the latest updates in the Maltese charts.

Source; 89.7 Bay Radio