Our snapper Kathrin Baumbach is turning her lens to all things noteworthy throughout Eurosonic - check out the first of her photo galleries here.
The Bray-born bluesman wasn’t there in person to collect the gong from presenter Jools Holland, though the wonders of technology had seen him pre-record an acceptance speech.
The winners of the 2015 European Border Breakers Awards - highlighting the best new rock and pop musicians and bands in Europe who have achieved cross-border chart success - were honoured at a ceremony last night, running as part of Eurosonic Noorderslag festival in the Dutch city of Groningen. The competition is organised under the European Union's Creative Europe Programme.
Previously best known for coming second place in the Eurovison Song Contest last year, The Common Linnets came out as the big winner of the evening taking away the ‘Public Choice Award’ by an overwhelming amount of online voters. The Dutch group, who performed live at the show, released their debut self-titled album last November.
The ceremony also included the first EBBA Best Festival Act Award, decided by the great and the good of the continent's festival scene. The gong was handed to the British band Jungle, who acknowledged their win by saying: “Eurosonic was our first festival and proved to be a great experience. It gave us a platform to showcase our live show to a European audience and festivals… And now we are thrilled to have won the Best Festival Act Award”
The EBBA show also featured outstanding performances by other 2015 winners including Melanie de Biasio, Denmark's MØ and France's Indila as well as former winners the Ting Tings (UK).
Previous Irish EBBA winners include Damien Rice, James Vincent MacMorrow and Kodaline.