City Showcase to sign up and coming live music acts for London’s First Half-Marathon

UK (SANEPR.com) May 16, 2008 -- Working with City Showcase, race organiser IMG Mass Participation Sports, is also giving musicians the chance to compose a Run to the Beat ‘anthem’. The successful act will perform the winning song live on Run to the Beat’s premier stage to provide 10,000 competitors with an inspirational start (see song writing competition brief below for further info).

City Showcase is offering a unique chance for musicians to compete to play at one of the 15 music stations along the route of London’s hotly anticipated, Run to the Beat. With the majority of race competitors listing pop, rock and dance as their preferred music for running (see chart below), City Showcase are tasked with sourcing the very best up and coming artists to inspire the athletes.

The seventh City Showcase is taking place from 2nd-6th June 2008 and has previously played host to Amy Winehouse, Newton Faulkner, Keane, Razorlight, Scouting for Girls, Hot Chip and Lady Sovereign to name but a few, all of whom began their long road to fame and fortune on the City Showcase stage.

Nanette Rigg from City Showcase explains: “If you want to be involved with this fantastic new running and music event, now is the time to apply. We intend to showcase all types of music from brass bands to hip-hop and from classical to rock. This is also a chance for Greenwich musicians to showcase their talent in an event which is right on their doorstep. We will use our festival in June to search for new young musicians which will develop annual cross-collaborations between sport and music with Run to the Beat in October, eventually culminating in a great London Olympics celebration in 2012.”

With 45 per cent of Run to the Beat’s competitors taking part in a half marathon for the first time, music will play a critical role in easing the pain barrier for debutants and could increase performance time by up to 20 per cent, according to research conducted by Run to the Beat’s, Dr Costas Karageorghis, who has researched the exercise and music link for two decades.
A reader in sport psychology at Brunel University, Dr Karageorghis explains: “We are examining the demographic profile of athletes very carefully to ensure the selection of live music acts span age groups and genders to provide motivational music that will inspire runners as well as spectators.”

According to Dr Karageorghis, variety in music and tempo are key when trying to influence athletes’ performance. The tempo of music around the course will vary for different motivational needs e.g.
• Warm Up 80 – 110 beats per minute: Eye of the Tiger or Chariots of Fire
• Start 110 – 125 beats per minute: Mr Brightside or We Come One
• Finish 135 – 140 beats per minute: Top Gun Soundtrack or Firestarter

Nick Rusling, Managing Director of IMG Mass Participation Sports (race organiser) said: “It’s been fascinating finding out what inspires people to get out and run. By working with City Showcase, we will unearth London‘s up and coming music acts who will be strategically positioned at one of our music stations to get the best out of our runners.”

Run to the Beat has sold out in record time for organisers IMG Mass Participation Sports, but runners need not fear, as they can still experience this exciting fusion of music and sport by running for charity; see www.runtothebeat.co.uk

If you want to take part as a musician in the great new event, please send a web link (if you have one), a brief biography, a photo and a CD demo to City Showcase, PO Box 2212, Pulborough, RH20 2XJ. Clearly mark your envelope as Run to the Beat application before the 30th June deadline. Further information at www.cityshowcase.co.uk

Top Ten Artists / Songs
(As voted by Run to the Beat entrants)
1. Eye of the Tiger (Survivor)
2. Queen
3. The Killers
4. Prodigy
5. Faithless
6. Michael Jackson
7. Amy Winehouse
8. Take That
9. Scissor Sisters
10. Justin Timberlake


ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Song Writing Competition Brief
The tempo of the song should be fast (120-140bpm) and the rhythm should be pronounced and driving but also regular to make it suitable for running. The music should be in a major key with an uplifting and simple harmonic structure; essentially a classic pop song formula. The lyrics should be inspiring to reflect the event; people joining together and pushing themselves to their physical limit, overcoming adversity and achieving their goals. The words ‘Run to the Beat’ should be used in the lyric and may form the title. Organisers would also like composers to try and include ‘Run to the rhythm, run to the beat, keep your feet moving and pound that street’ as part of the song, if artistically appropriate.

Entries should be submitted on a CD Demo to City Showcase, PO Box 2212, Pulborough, RH20 2XJ by 30th June 2008.


For more information please contact:
Kelly Stroud, SBI, T: 020 8233 5964 / 07988 195 262; E: kelly.stroud@sbi.co.uk
Dan Geneen, SBI, T: 020 8233 5963 / 07802 862 956; E: dan.geneen@sbi.co.uk

About Run to the Beat:
Run to the Beat is a half marathon taking place throughout the London Borough of Greenwich. The event will start and finish at The O2 where there will be a festival atmosphere for competitors and spectators to enjoy. As well as being London’s first half-marathon, the additional truly unique aspect of the event is that it will work with Dr Costas Karageorghis and City Showcase to scientifically position and enlist live music throughout the course to inspire the 10,000 runners taking part.

Dr Karageorghis will analyse the runners’ demographics and their preferences in addition to using his existing scientific research to help choose the right music for the competitors, which will then be implemented with live acts, local London bands and musical talent.

The organisers of the event (IMG) are highly experienced in successfully staging other mass participation events in the UK for 10,000s people each year, including; The Mazda London Triathlon (the world’s largest triathlon), The Mazda Blenheim Triathlon, The Chelsea & Westminster Health Charity London Duathlon (the world’s largest Duathlon and The Etape Caledonia (the UK’s only closed roads mass participation cycling event). Run to the Beat will be the organiser’s first running event.

About City Showcase
City Showcase is an innovative and accessible annual five day festival of new music that takes place in June in London’s West End and venues across London. With six successful events behind it, City Showcase’s reputation is now firmly established as the festival at which to see tomorrow’s talent today. City Showcase attracts international audiences to the West End – allowing the public to spot the talent of the future. City Showcase has a proven track record for finding and introducing new talent.