Music and Spies looking to win award for second year

Music and Spies have been nominated for an NMG Award for the second straight year PIC: June Essex

Music and Spies are one of four acts nominated for the Best Duo Award and will find out whether they have won at the ceremony on Friday, October 17, at the Portland Arms in Cambridge.

The awards recognise and celebrate up and coming talent from the local music scene across all music genres.

One member of the duo, Nathan Jackson, said: “For a small band any form of recognition we get is amazing, but Cambridge 105 do so much for music that an NMG award seems all the more special.

“After winning in the Best Duo category last year and walking away with one of the first ever NMG’s we were ecstatic.

“We’ve had quite a slow year and so we hadn’t even thought about them this time round other than to offer to perform on the night and so we’re over the moon to be nominated again.”

The folk duo formed the band in 2011 and since then have toured with former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan.

When talking about their main inspiration the duo had no hesitation in their response.

Nathan said: “Jason Mraz is our number one influence, not just for his music but also for his live shows and general musicianship.

“He writes songs that are meant to he uplifting and happy and doesn’t try to or mind about fitting into any genre, his live shows are relaxed and fun and always feel intimate no matter what size and we try to emulate this as best we can.

“Before every gig we picture in our heads the scene from Titanic where Jack and Rose sneak off to the party downstairs and that atmosphere is what we aim for.”

The awards evening will be recorded and broadcast on Freeview and online through Cambridge 105.

Event organiser and one of the seven judges, Tim Willett, said: “I was overwhelmed by the response to our debut year in 2013 and cannot wait to get stuck in to putting this years ceremony together.

“There are more nominees involved this year including some of last year’s winners and some exciting new artists too.” Music and Spies regularly play at Bedford Esquires and Club 85 in Hitchin and have dreams of hitting the big time in the near future.