“We are asking Ireland’s musicians to compete in the ultimate test of pop penmanship – the challenge of crafting a truly great Christmas single. Irish musicians have penned some of the most loved and famous Christmas tunes over the years and we are looking to find the next hit. So grab your guitar, a set of sleigh bells and get into the Christmas spirit early this year by writing a cracker of a song!” said Daragh O’Sullivan, Christmas FM’s Joint Program Director.

Artists from around the country are asked to write and record their own Christmas compositions and submit them online through the Christmas FM website at www.christmasfm.ie/songcontest . The closing date for the contest is November 16th 2009.

A panel of leading Irish industry experts will choose a shortlist of the best entries which will be playlisted by the station during its first week of broadcast in December. Christmas FM listeners will then be asked to vote for their favourite song by text.

The overall winner of the contest will be given the opportunity to professionally record the song and be playlisted on Christmas FM alongside their catalogue of classic Christmas hits. The winning entry will also be released online as a charity Christmas single with all proceeds being donated to The Simon Communities, Dublin and Cork.

Christmas FM will return this December in an expanded format, broadcasting throughout both Dublin and Cork. A dedicated charity radio station it aims to raise over €35,000 for the Simon Communities, Dublin and Cork this year through a combination of corporate sponsorship, texts and online donations. The station will begin broadcasting on Monday 30th November, and will continue on air 24 hours a day until 27th December 2009.

For details on the contest see www.christmasfm.ie

Thursday sees the first night of a new series of weekly gigs at the Pavilion, under the Bootleg banner, when the local talents of Sideproject, Get Up Get Down and Cian will take to the stage. On the same night, Californian folk-rockers Port O’Brien pay a visit to Cyprus Avenue. Marcel Woods plays the Savoy on Friday night, while Mercury Rev’s show at Cyprus Avenue has been sold out for weeks. If it’s comedy you’re after, then check out Scottish comedian Geoff Boyz at City Limits Comedy Club on Friday and Saturday nights, or for house heads, legendary club night Fish Go Deep celebrates its 20th birthday at the Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday.

And if all that wasn’t enough, there’s plenty of special gigs and fancy dress events celebrating Halloween this weekend.

Dublin 5-piece BATS come to Cork to headline the Quad’s Fancy Dress Halloween Extravaganza with support from the furiously loud and crazy I’ll Eat Your Face and fun loving rockers Beard Seeking Missile. Or you can sample the blood punch at Fredz, where for one night only, members of local band Futureboy and a couple of friends will dress as girls and perform as Northgate Nineball and the Backstage Betties. But the madness doesn’t end there. In an effort to raise money for Irish Dogs for Disabled, the bedraggled betties have agreed to be auctioned off for the charity. In addition, bringing militant feel to the evening will be Co. Clare’s General PM and a debut for Cork’s sexiest band, Death by Cockrockers promises to make this Hallowe’en a night to remember.

October 30th at The Crane Lane Theatre hosts The Zombie Ball, presented by Gypsy Hotel.
Doors at 9pm, Fancy Dress essential, Zombies Preferred! Adm: €10
Featuring Spellbound (Dublin) and Hallowe’en Burlesque with Missy Malone (Edinburgh) as The Bride Of Frankenstein and Leyla Rose (London) as the buxom Wolf Girl. Spooky sounds by Oona White.
See http://www.myspace.com/bob_jesus for more details

The Freakscene Halloween Ball, famous for its amazing costumes, will take place in the Qube and G2 nightclubs on Friday 31st October.

Venue I – The Catacomb
Dr Faddenstein & Emgor will be playing Doom Indie, New Grave, Goth Rock and Monstrous Rock.

Venue II – The Dungeon G2
The Wicked Witches of The East will be taunting with Scary Funk, Despairing Soul & Death Disco!!

Tickets go on sale from An Bróg, Wednesday 15th October 2008.

A screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show will commence at 9.00p.m. sharp (doors at 8.45p.m., seating will be limited but there is no extra charge or anything ridiculous like that, so do get along early and bring your own rice etc!)

For more information and to see photos of what you can expect to see, go to www.freakscene.com/halloween2008/

Local metal band 5 Will Die take over An Crúiscín Lán on Halloween night to officially launch their album ‘Slung From A Tree.’ Supporting on the night will be Days Of Night, Mordant Soul, Brigantia and Ghost of Medina. The bands will kick off around 8pm, playing until midnight and will be followed by a Halloween party. It’ll cost you just €6 to see all these bands, or if you turn up just for the party there is no cover charge once the bands have finished.