Hi °C | Lo °C A rock tour which catapulted bands like Franz Ferdinand, The Killers and Arctic Monkeys to fame is hitting the road again early in the new year.
The Shockwaves NME Awards Tour will be rolling into Belfast on January 29, featuring four of the most hotly-tipped new bands.
Playing the Mandela Hall will be Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and The Ting Tings, along with headliners The Cribs.
The tour has been a breeding ground for breaking talent in the past, with bands such as Klaxons, Bloc Party, Coldplay and the Kaisers Chiefs having graced previous rosters.
Having already toured with Franz Ferdinand and set to support the legendary Sex Pistols at their comeback gigs in Brixton, The Cribs are leaders on the live circuit.
Next on the bill is fiery five-piece Joe Lean and the Jing Jango Jong who released their debut single, Lucio Starts Fire, last month.
Electro outfit Does It Offend You, Yeah? are the rising stars of dancefloor mayhem, while The Ting Tings are tipped for the top after playing the BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury.
Ryan Jarman of the Cribs said: "It feels so exciting. Whenever I go on tour I say I'm going to war - and this is a very exciting war."
NME associate editor Dan Silver said: "The NME Awards tour has earned a deserved reputation for unearthing the hottest new talent around and this is no exception. 2008 promises to be an amazing year for live music and we're thrilled that these bands will be leading the charge."
