The Audience Award One of the main awards has now been decided by you the audience. The winner will be announced at the Poll Winners concert in March. A huge thanks to all those who contributed. It was wonderful to see such a wide-ranging list of nominations (left) and the way so many of the musicians have touched your lives.
Here are the bands who were voted onto the final shortlist. Click on each name to read more about them and click on the 'listen' icon to hear a selected track from each band. A large selection of your comments can be found by clicking on the list to the left.
Declan Connolly, Narberth:
'A classic group who turned the clock back 30 years and thrilled those of us who thought they would not be able to hear any new music from them.'
Kevin Gibson, London:
'They give an insight into a long forgotten african music scene and make the hips wiggle.'
Keith Goodchild, Kingston:
'Quite amazing that they reformed, giving all us unfortunates born too late a chance to see live what we revered on record, and, most amazing of all, they didn't disappoint (well, apart from not playing lan Naya). Once they were warmed up it was that West African sound that surely must be the soundtrack in any afterlife. "Diamond Fingers' guitar playing was a marvel to behold and he was dressed a la Mr.Hulot goes on safari. The only gripe was that the groove felt like it could go on all night long and they had to make way for the next performer. We should have danced till we dropped. A timeless sound.'
