Relive Demo Factor 2018 as it happened with our live blog.

 

23:30 – That’s all from us here at Demo Factor 2018. Congratulations if you had your demo played but fear not if you didn’t, the judges have said they will listen to all of the demos and give feedback.

Here’s tonight’s winner with some of the team:

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981668699491983363

23:25 – After long deliberation and lots of filling by our host Ben Burrell, the judges have decided who has won Demo Factor 2018… IT’S TOM HINCKLEY FROM SHOCK RADIO! 

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981660464634621952

23:21 – The judges are now deliberating! Who is your Demo Factor winner 2018?

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981658699952476164

23:16 – The final demo of the night is Jake from CSR. Could he win? Jordan said he’s so relatable and made a smile on his face and he golden buzzer-ed him!

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981657284400082944

23:11 – Becky from Xpression FM lasted the full minute because Jordan didn’t buzz. Paul said she needed to be more authentic and get across more personality! “That was boring but you’re not boring”.

23:08 – Jocelin from BBC Radio 1  just golden buzzer-ed Stephen from Smoke Radio!! She felt he was so relatable and had a great voice. Let’s work on content and then we could do something amazing. Jordan said he loved him!!

22:05 – Jocelin thought Leanne’s from DemonFM demo was a bit too specific to Leicester so she felt alienated. However, she did say that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Paul and Chris thought she needed more personality!

23:04 – There are only ten minutes left of demos!! 

23:01 – Pandora thought Megan from NSR is so relatable and thinks if she had her best stuff at the start of her demo, she would have had a golden buzzer! 

22:55 – Harry Benjamin from Livewire, Chris North is proud of you! Well done for nailing the SRA Chart in return here’s a golden buzzer!! 

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981652383984967680

22:53 – Finally it’s working! Chris said he wasn’t getting anything from Meg from Xpress Radio’s demo. Jordan said if she has another year in student radio she could be incredible!!

22:51 – Before we start the next demo, head judge Chris North is not happy with how Xpress Radio is uploading their demos. This is the third time one of their demos hasn’t played!!

22:48 – Oh no she didn’t!! (she actually did) Kaylee Golding from Shock Radio just got a golden buzzer from Paul!! Paul said you are never going to work on my radio station but you are brilliant!! I think you are the future of BBC Radio 1. Aled thinks with a good producer you could pilot with 1Xtra!!!

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981650662546079744

22:34 – Linda Riin was sooooo close to a golden buzzer from Aled

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981648883410403328

22:12 – Edmund from Spark Sunderland managed to survive the minute. Jordan said he has brilliant energy and his use of different pieces of audio made the listener feel part of the link. Then he dabbed and began unpopular amongst the audience… Rookie error Edmund.

22:07 – Tom Hinckley from Shock Radio is the second GOLDEN BUZZER of the night! He had 2 golden buzzers from Chris & Pandora and THEN A STANDING OVATION from all of the judges!! Pandora said ‘babe you’ve got a job in radio’. Chris North said he is SO gutted that Pandora hit the golden buzzer before him! Jordan North said he’s the best demo of the night by far.

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981640572887863296

22:01 – Jocelin ‘absolutely loves’ Sarah from Boom Radio’s voice and was so gutted that it had to stop at one minute.

21:58 – we’ve had a brief shot break…

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981638389005942784

21:57 – This year’s guest judge is Jordan North!

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981638358156931072

21:56 – The judges are back on stage for the second part of Demo Factor. So far it’s between Gregor and Kerrie.

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981637170237771777

21:37 – Can you believe it? We’re halfway through already. Demo Factor will return in 15 minutes…

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981632429998968834

21:33 – Jocelin listened to the whole minute of Michael from Xpress Radio’s demo but she didn’t like his David Attenborough impression/ she didn’t know who the hell it was supposed to be. Paul was very intrigued… ‘It was like Homeland, I wasn’t enjoying it but I was compelled to listen to it’.

21:30 – Jocelin from BBC Radio 1 is just very confused with Tristan’s demo from Surge. Pandora didn’t put it as nicely as that and described it as boring, but she thinks he has potential. Good try Tristan.

21:24 -WOW OUR FIRST GOLDEN BUZZER!! The rest of the judges buzzed early but Aled from BBC Radio 1 pressed his golden buzzer for Kerrie Coshan from Fly FM! Aled said she could be Charlie Sloth’s co-host.

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981629678933901315

21:19 – Adam Wood from Spark Sunderland is a popular man amongst the judges. Paul “Who doesn’t want to hear about sausage at lunchtime”. He said he was very close to golden buzzer-ing (if that’s a word) but just need alittle more from Adam.

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981628595968921602

21:15 – Megan Hornsby from Shock Radio is up next. Paul thought she was good and had potential but her demo was well… we can’t type the word he said. Megan was very proud of lasting as long as she did.

https://twitter.com/SRA/status/981627614715621376

21:11 – Gregor Davidson from City Radio Glasgow was the first entrant who survived the whole minute! Pandora absolutely loved Greg’s demo and said she wanted to hear more but she didn’t press the golden buzzer.

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981626130758295556

21:09 – Up first we have Solmaz Aslan from URF in the South East. The judge’s response wasn’t great… they didn’t realise she was playing a character so they buzzed early. Aled said now he knows it was a comedy demo, he quite liked it but would slightly tweak it before sending it out to Programme Controllers.

21:05 – The judges have arrived in only the way they could…

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981624823939059712

21:02 – Here comes the host with the most, Ben Burrell

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981623905411624962

21:00 – We’re about to start…

The tension is building… The BIG GOLD LETTERS are warming up…

And the judges are about to take to their seats

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981619580190773248

Demo Factor will soon be kicking off here in Norwich, and we will be keeping you up to date with all the gossip, stand out demos, and pantomime moments right through to the end of the night.

There’s an Absolute 90s show up for grabs… who will claim it?

There’s only one way to find out…

Demo Factor is about to begin, at #SRACON held at The University of East Anglia.

There’s some very sad news to share. Our host, Vicki Blight is missing her first Demo Factor since the very beginning. Vicki was on the original panel in at University of Bath in 2009.

https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/854375205950676992

However we’re excited to tell you that Absolute Radio’s Ben Burrell has very kindly stepped in.

Ben currently presents on Absolute Radio and Absolute 90’s across the UK.

Ben’s love for radio started when he joined university getting involved with student and then community radio in Portsmouth.

In his last year at uni he won the first ever Demo Factor competition leading him to present across the then Galaxy network.

After graduating he worked at his local station presenting Drive time, before quickly moving to The Breeze presenting evenings across 16 stations.

Ben went on to present for Free Radio in the Midlands where he was the Drive-time presenter on Birmingham’s Free Radio and Nottingham’s Gem 106 weekend evenings.

As you heard on Thursday night at the Student Radio Awards, Demo Factor is coming back to the National Student Radio Conference in 2017.

WITH A TWIST! 

Make sure you are subscribed to the Student Radio Newsletter to find out more information and be among the first to know when we start accepting submissions!

We’ve all had a week or so back from the amazing #SRACon in Cardiff. Had a good shower – and probably a bit of a detox!

Thank you for making Demo Factor fabulous again this year!

Congratulations once again to Matt Curtis – who we notice has already changed his Twitter Bio, and living the dream taking rainbow photos from Capital East Midlands.

https://twitter.com/_MattCurtis/status/717765388092719104

Finally, the SRA have produced some cracking podcasts about Demo Factor. Take a few minutes out of your Uni work and listen to these…

Well just as we thought things couldn’t hot any further, THEY DID!

In a chaotic finale, Demo Factor judge Paul Sylvester (Content Director at Absolute Radio) crowned Fly FM’s Matt Curtis as winner of Demo Factor 2016 and a show on Absolute Radio 90s!

Described as “radio-ready,” Matt will be joining up with Paul Sylvester at Absolute Radio 90s to present a one-off show. Past winners, George Godfrey and Sammy James, who also won a show on the station, have since gone on to present on the station long term.

 

But that was far from the end, it was revealed from the stage that industry bosses in the room were so impressed by the quality of demos that they were prepared to directly offer opportunities to a select group of presenters.

It was announced from the stage that Spark FM’s Christopher Boyle, who impressed early on in the first half, has been offered a pilot on Communicorp’s Capital FM stations, whilst North Media Talent’s Chris North publicly declared his interest in Insanity Radio’s Charlotte Mason, Livewire1350’s Sian Cooper, LSR’s Mo Ayoub and, this year’s Demo Factor 2016 winner Matt Curtis. Amy Voce also made a point of adding that she was incredibly impressed with Charlotte Mason, Rare FM’s Ella Atcheson and Fly FM’s Kristien Armstrong, and wanted to chat with them after.

However, despite not winning the competition, it was Mo Ayoub who stole the limelight on the night…

Having had his demo played out in full, he received a standing ovation from the crowd and was greeted by a full house of praise from the judges, and industry bosses alike. Such was the impression made, Mo immediately was approached by Bauer’s Mike Cass after listening to his demo, and a fight emerged between Bauer and Global as Rob Watson declared he had first dibs. Paul Sylvester then proceeded to laud even more praise, encouraging him to talk with Andy Roberts (Group Programme Director at Kiss).

 

You can hear the demos of all of the above in full below:

Mo Ayoub (@centricitydj): [insert-demo id=”932″]

Matt Curtis (@_MattCurtis): [insert-demo id=”960″]

Christopher Boyle (@chris_boyle_dj): [insert-demo id=”988″]

Charlotte Mason (@Masonmcmasemase): [insert-demo id=”982″]

Ella Atcheson (@yes_atcheson): [insert-demo id=”997″]

Kristien Armstrong (@K_G_Armstrong): [insert-demo id=”979″]

Sian Cooper (@CooperSian): [insert-demo id=”956″]

 

More to follow…

It’s half-time at Demo Factor 2016, and what a first half!

Kicked off in style with the introduction of Demo Factor’s Ice Luge taking centre stage, the judges took no time to pack in the punches as presenters were told by Paul Sylvester: “You’ll have great careers – as listeners!”

As the crowd got rowdy, Livewire1350’s Freddie Wells was singled out by host Vicki Blight to critique a fellow presenter’s demo, whilst James Wilkinson was told by DF judge, Amy Voce, that he was a natural at the luge.

Pantomime aside, the judges took some convincing, but eventually talent was spotted with Capital Xtra’s Rob Watson asking to hear more of Spark FM’s Chris Anthony Boyle who was commended by others across the panel and the audience.

You can hear Chris’ demo again here: [insert-demo id=”988″]

But it was Rare FM’s Ella Atcheson who stole headlines just before the interval, as Rob Watson described her voice as “warm, engaging and cosy,” Amy explained that she only buzzed because she felt threated for her job, and DF’s very own Simon Cowell, Paul Sylvester, even crumbled admitting “I want to be your friend!”

You can hear Ella’s demo here: [insert-demo id=”997″]

As the interval draws to a close, and the drinks flow plentifully, how will the second half fair in comparison?

Follow us on twitter: @DemoFactor for live updates.

The tension is building…

The BIG GOLD LETTERS are warming up…

And the judges are seeming surprisingly positive ahead of tonight (if this photo is anything to go by…

Demo Factor will soon be kicking off here in Cardiff, and we will be keeping you up to date with all the gossip, stand out demos, and pantomime moments right through to the end of the night.

There’s an Absolute 90s show up for grabs… who will claim it?

There’s only one way to find out…

 

Demo Factor begins tonight at 20:30, at #SRACON16 held at Cardiff University Student Union.