It takes a lot of knowledge, hard work and dedication to make what is effectively a ‘battle of the bands’ competition as credible and successful as the Dorset Music Awards. Before I start to comment on the quality on stage, it must be said the quality shown off it by not just Rich and Trev of Devils Music, but the team of people who have helped them over the course of the last few months in particular, can only be applauded. Loudly.

So, who won? Congratulations to The Longest Day (above) for winning the 2010 Final, and to Disco’s Out (Murder’s In) for walking away with four festival slots. Lucky buggers! Do I agree with these choices? Well, putting personal tastes aside, The Longest Day’s performance was stunning. Did they deserve to win? Yeah. As for DOMI managing a clean sweep of all available festival slots… well I don’t think anyone saw that one coming. But, they’re a band made for festivals; energetic, loud, colourful and big fun. Good on ‘em.

Entering at 8.30, the queues were already going in two directions and edging towards Bournemouth Pier and the Lansdowne. Last year’s winners Achilles were already playing to a two-thirds full venue, sounding fantastic in the rather grand setting of the Royal Bath’s De Vere Suite. A quick word on the sound: better than last year. Good work Percy! Apart from some wobbly mics and some Mutant sax issues, the sound (from where I was standing at least) was worthy of the bands and the setting. On stage… Lady Winwoods seemed to have some issues but didn’t make a big deal of it.

Mutant Vinyl (above) drew the short straw (or, I presume the last straw), going on first. Not only has Mutant only existed as a band for about two months, but also they’ve gone through more line-up changes in that time than the average band goes through in its lifetime. It must also be said that Ed Pope doesn’t make things easy for himself; generally using about three different instruments and as many mics for every song. Plus, his intensity and sheer physicality makes a Mutant stage a breeding ground for breakages. In this case a guitar string… one song in. Clearly miffed at another band not willing to lend him a replacement (to be fair the guitar’s life expectancy was going to be at risk), as well as issues with sound – in particular his sax – this only spurred Ed on to a more intense performance. Undeterred, ‘Safe From Harm’ sounded huge, and despite these problems Mutant’s performance was the most original, charismatic and watchable of the night. Ed Pope’s potential, whether it be as Mutant Vinyl or whatever other musical outlet he chooses, is frightening.

By total contrast, Lady Winwoods Maggot (above) have already been there and done it, certainly in terms of length of service and playing to large audiences. Visually, these guys look like they’re made for Endorse-It (or as extras for Smalltown Folk), and there’s a similarity in their sound to festie hosts, Pronghorn. It’s country with a punk edge, taken with double measure of rum and a cheeky kick to the bollocks. If anything though this was too immaculate; I like this music to have rough edges and apart from vocalist Mark Baynes’ growl, this was perfectly smooth. That said, I’d love to see these guys at a festival after too much cider and just enough sun… they’re made for a right proper knees up. ‘Chase The Cat’ is a perfect festie sing-a-long (or jump-around-along), and one of many songs to feature some impeccable banjo fiddlin’ from Chris Hopgood and Jean-Jacques Burnel-inspired bass thumping by Tony Soffe. They packed the place with the loudest army of supporters too… big up the Maggot fans!

Another total contrast brought Sarah Griffin (above) to the stage; not for the first time claiming to be petrified but appearing anything but. If there were a prize for the best songwriter on the night Miss Griffin would’ve won my vote. Indeed she was picked out by Camp Bestival organiser Julian Peck as (along with The Longest Day) having the best chance of commercial success in 2010. Clearly conscious of the animated crowd, tonight’s set was as musically upbeat as I’ve seen from Sarah, and with the added bonus of Carolyn Neylon Evans supplying perfect harmonies, this was a faultless set of wonderfully crafted folk-pop. Being an acoustic act sandwich in between four bands carrying a heavier musical weight meant there was a possibility of Sarah sounding overly delicate, but coming on with her boot laces undone was a sign of intent, or fashion, or something. But, in the shape of a over-sized bouncing balloon, the signs were already there… Murderers were waiting in the wings.

Disco’s Out (Murder’s In). I’m still not sure about that name. But, after many months of struggling to be won over by the music, tonight’s performance was further confirmation that this is a band with some goddam catchy tunes. With these guys it’s all about entertainment; gimp suits, hula skirts, rabbit costumes, clown faces, bubble machines, balloons and model aeroplanes. C’mon guys, make an effort. It is simply impossible not to be won over by DOMI (above); their sheer energy is totally infectious, and with a brass section now more prominent their sound is full, joyful and triumphant. Compared with the final band of the night you could almost say this was sloppy (it wasn’t, but TLD were as tight as a vice), but it is that carefree abandon and sheer uninhibited enthusiasm that radiates from the stage that clearly won over the festival organisers. I expected them to get the Endorse-It slot, the other three smacked my gob. “Stuck In The Middle yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…” You guys.

I first saw The Longest Day (above) in a Battle of the Bands Final at Mr Kyps in 2006. They won. Three of the band were in black, one was wearing a golf shirt. Some quotes from our review: “alt-rock by numbers”… “…rock without balls”. I wasn’t overly impressed. Three and a half years on and this was quite simply faultless. This alt(ish)-rock isn’t really my bag, but tonight they blew me away. I must’ve seen these guys perform more than a dozen times, and I’ve never seen Dan Henry sing a bum note, then again I’m not sure I’ve seen a better local vocalist than Dan Henry. The Longest Day are pretty much the complete package; they have a look (though nothing new), the songs, the talent, the ability to perform faultlessly under pressure, and to steal a line from Ed Pope – “bigger hooks than Captain Pugwash”. I also said in that old review that their songs had “no over-drive when the chorus kicks in”, well… that’s changed. They’ve perfected their sound, grown some huge hairy balls and fully deserve their prize as DMA Winners 2010.

All photographs by Grant David Read. For a look at all images from the Final, take a look at the Picasa album. Anyone wanting to purchase or use any of the photographs, please contact Grant through his facebook page.

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