(CelebrityAccess News Service) — The Shortlist Organization has finalized the ten finalists for the 2003 Shortlist Music Prize as selected by a panel of "Listmakers," including Dave Matthews, Flea, Erykah Badu, Perry Farrell, Chris Martin (Coldplay), and the directors Spike Jonze and Cameron Crowe. The third annual Shortlist Concert, presented by MTV2, will be held on October 5 at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles and taped for broadcast as a sixty-minute special with multiple airings on MTV2 in mid-October.
The finalists Interpol, Damien Rice, Bright Eyes, Cat Power and Black Keys will perform at the Shortlist Concert and on the Shortlist special, with possible surprise guest performances from the "Listmaker" panel of judges. This year's "Shortlist" of ten finalists also includes the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, the Streets, Cody Chesnutt, Floetry, and 2001 Shortlist Music Prize winner Sigur Ros.
"We're thrilled to be able to provide this year's finalists with a big bold showcase for their creativity," says Shortlist co-founder Tom Sarig. "The addition of an MTV2 special is the realization of our dream to bring dynamic and unique artists to a broad audience of music lovers," adds co-founder Greg Spotts.
"Our mission at MTV2 is to actively support exciting new artists, so a partnership with the prestigious Shortlist Music Prize is a natural," said David Cohn, GM, MTV2. "The MTV2 special will not only give our viewers an inside view of the artist 'Listmakers' deciding the winner, but will also feature exclusive live performances from these great artists."
The winner of the 2003 Shortlist Music Prize will be announced at the end of the concert and will be presented with a $5000 cash prize from Sirius Satellite Radio. A highlight of last year's concert was a three-song mini-set of Stooges' classics by Listmaker Iggy Pop, fronting an all-star band including two members of the Hives on guitar, Listmaker Pete Yorn on drums, and Mike Watt of the Minutemen on bass. –by Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
