MULTI-PLATINUM SELLING BAND SNOW PATROL TO HEADLINE ‘BUSHMILLS LIVE’

Bushmills Village: March 2012: Bushmills™ Irish Whiskey has announced Snow Patrol as the first of a number of artists who will perform at ‘Bushmills Live’ – the handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the north coast of Ireland on 20th and 21st June 2012.

Snow Patrol, who are from Northern Ireland, are one of the world’s most popular bands, selling more than 11 million albums since their breakthrough record Final Straw debuted in 2003.

The two-day handcrafted festival will be the first ever staged in an Irish Whiskey distillery. The artists will play a series of intimate gigs in age-old buildings around the distillery. Other performers announced at this stage include renowned musician Foy Vance, who along with David Holmes composed the music for the OSCAR®* winning short film, ‘The Shore’, and award-winning singer songwriter and producer Iain Archer.

Snow Patrol’s Jonny Quinn, commented: “Playing live on a bill of great artists and friends, in the Old Bushmills Distillery that’s been around for centuries – it doesn’t get much better than that!”

‘Bushmills Live’ will be a truly ‘money can’t buy experience’. Tickets for the event will not go on general release, instead fans of Bushmills Irish Whiskey can win the chance to attend the festival by entering a competition on the Bushmills Facebook page – facebook.com/bushmills1608 .

To stand a chance of winning they will have to submit a photo of themselves and friend and explain why they and their friend should be in the audience for ‘Bushmills Live’.

As well as listening to great music, those fortunate to win a ticket to the festival will also have the opportunity to make their own blend of Bushmills Irish Whiskey.

Commenting, Colum Egan, Master Distiller, Old Bushmills Distillery said: “The line-up for ‘Bushmills Live’ so far is truly remarkable. Snow Patrol, Foy Vance and Iain Archer are known and loved around the world – much like our whiskey.

“What excites me is they, like all the artists who are coming to play, are fans of our whiskey. Bushmills and music have always gone well together. Handcrafted whiskey and handcrafted music – it just makes sense!”

To win tickets to ‘Bushmills Live’ or to find out more, visit facebook.com/bushmills1608. Entry opens at 16:08 GMT on St Patrick’s Day and closes at 23:59 GMT on 27th April 2012. Terms and conditions apply.

*OSCAR® and ACADEMY AWARDS® are registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Notes

Captions

Snow Patrol

Picture 1 & Picture 2: Snow Patrol announced as the first of a number of artists who will perform at ‘Bushmills Live’ – a handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the north coast of Ireland on 20th and 21st June 2012.

Foy Vance

Picture 3: Foy Vance set to play at ‘Bushmills Live’. The critically acclaimed musician will perform alongside world renowned band, Snow Patrol at the handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the north coast of Ireland on 20th and 21st June 2012.

Iain Archer

Picture 4: Award winning singer songwriter and producer Iain Archer to play at ‘Bushmills Live’. He joins world renowned band Snow Patrol as one of the first of a number of artists revealed to perform at the handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the north coast of Ireland on 20th and 21st June 2012.

Picture 5: The stage is set for ‘Bushmills Live’, the landmark whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on 20th and 21st June 2012.

Picture 6: Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, pictured at the launch of ‘Bushmills Live’, the landmark whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on 20th and 21st June 2012.

Picture 7: The Old Bushmills Distillery.

Biographies

About Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol are an Irish / Scottish five piece band who have sold over 11 million albums and have been responsible for several era-defining singles, including Run, Chocolate, and Chasing Cars (which spent 104 weeks in the UK Top 75 and was voted song of the decade in a Channel 4 poll).

In May 2006 Snow Patrol, with Chasing Cars, became the first UK rock act in 13 years to break the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.

Their albums have been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, Grammys and MTV Europe Music Awards, with Final Straw landing them an Ivor Novello Award in 2005.

Snow Patrol consists of singer Gary Lightbody, guitarist Nathan Connolly, bassist Paul Wilson, drummer Jonny Quinn and keyboardist, Tom Simpson.

About Iain Archer

Iain Archer is an award-winning songwriter and producer, originally from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. He is a versatile performer who has had success in his own right and with others. He has written five successful albums under his own name, has toured extensively and has had his songs used widely on US TV shows and adverts.

In the past year he has scored a number one album and two top ten albums writing with the likes of Example, Charlie Simpson and Rea Garvery.

A prestigious Ivor Novello Award winner for his work on Snow Patrol’s breakthrough multi-platinum selling album ‘Final Straw’, Iain co-wrote the huge hit ‘Run’ which went top 5 for the band and later to number one for Leona Lewis, breaking the record for the fastest selling UK download.

He is a founding member of the band ‘Tired Pony’ that also featured the likes of Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, Peter Buck from REM, Richard Colburn from Belle and Sebastian and Tom Smith from Editors.

About Foy Vance

Foy Vance is a musician from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. He released his debut album ‘Hope’ in July 2007 to great critical acclaim. The Independent newspaper

described him as ‘The missing link between Richie Havens and Stevie Wonder’. Three tracks from the album were used on hit US drama, Grey’s Anatomy.

His latest single ‘Be the Song’, featured in the American medical series, House.

In 2010 Foy, along with David Holmes composed the music for a short film by director Terry George, and as a result has been offered a part in the director’s next feature film as a busker. The short film, ‘The Shore’, won a 2012 ACADEMY AWARD®. Foy will release a new EP entitled ‘Melrose’ later this year.

Competition

The Facebook competition is open to people in:

· Belgium

· Bulgaria

· Germany

· Great Britain

· Netherlands

· Northern Ireland

· Portugal

· Republic of Ireland

· USA