Students given ‘Script’ for success

It’s a gig many established journalists would give their right hands for - an interview, in person, with one of the world’s most popular rock bands.

But it was a group a young wannabe journalists who got the opportunity of a lifetime on Tuesday when they were invited to a special interview session with The Script as part of the BBC Radio 1 Academy - which rolled into the city this month in advance of next week’s highly anticipated Big Weekend event.

The youngsters, aged from their mid teens to their mid 20s, took part in a workshop with local journalists (myself included) on how to research a subject matter, prepare questions and settle those nerves before being invited to an exclusive Live Lounge performance with Danny O’Donoghue, Mark Sheehan and Glen Power.

The band, who hail from Dublin, performed a stripped back cover of Rihanna’s song ‘Stay’ live on air with Alice Levine before treating the students and other invited guests to performances to two of their songs Millionaires and Hall of Fame.

The students were tasked with both reviewing the Live Lounge peformance and interviewing the band afterwards - during a 40 minute long session.

They were then tasked with writing up both articles - and one lucky student will win the chance to shadow a reporter for the day during the Big Weekend.

Most of the students hadn’t expected to get so close to the Script - and with some major fans in the mix, it proved to be a both a nerve- racking and inspiring experience.

And for The Script it was a chance to sing the praises of Derry. The band said they were excited to see Derry emerge from the past and embrace the music scene.

The told the students, and the audience at their Live Lounge Performance, they were looking forward to playing at Radio 1’s Big Weekend. They will take to the main stage on Sunday, May 26 - and promise to bring their biggest hits with them.

“It will be a case of don’t bore us, get to the chorus,” Danny O’Donoghue said, promising that Hall of Fame and The Man Who Can’t Be Moved will feature in the set list. “No one wants to hear the B-sides,” he said.

The event was one of a number of workshops run by BBC Radio One over the course of the week - which has also seen a number of the stations top DJs arriving in the city to broadcast from live from The Nerve Centre.

Source: Derry Journal / Edited: DannyODonoghue.Net