Q Radio Presenter Dan Black Talks to L&U

Experienced radio presenter and DJ Dan Black tells us what he loves about the music industry, and what he’ll be looking for when he judges Live and Unsigned...

Dan says, “I first got into the industry while at Newcastle University, presenting a rock show and then subsequently managing the student radio station there, alongside DJing in North East rock clubs. Whilst at University, in the summer of 2004, Kerrang! asked me to work for them as station manager and the breakfast show host on a trial rock radio station in Newcastle. Once my foot was through the door, at what is now Bauer Media, I never took it out and have been working for them in a number of different roles ever since.

My current daily role is as a producer for the Bauer Media group, at their Newcastle studios, and as a presenter for a number of the group's radio stations. I currently host shows on two of Bauer's national digital radio stations, weekday evenings on Heat Radio and a Saturday show on Q Radio - extensions of two of the company's leading magazine brands. I also present a weekend show on CFM across Cumbria and Southwest Scotland, and Metro Radio in the North East. In addition I'm on Bauer Media's Big City Network cover-presenter roster and have been covering for presenters of syndicated programmes for over a year.

In my spare time I try to go to as many gigs, from function rooms to stadiums, as I can and I have recently been checking out raw talent at open-mic nights around the North East. I love hanging out at recording studios too, lending an ear and watching musicians making their dreams a reality. When summer comes around it's festival season and I'll be a member of the working media at Leeds and Download, for the latter of which I have hosted a daily show on the on-site radio station broadcasting to 70,000 festival goers.

I've hosted a lot of live music stages over the years and I have now lost count of how many battle of the bands I've judged. I'm a huge advocate of live music and jump at the opportunity to be a part of the journey the performers are embarking on.

Ever since the first event I was involved in I have always looked for a band who own the stage and engage the audience. Great performers captivate the crowd and don't let them go until the house-lights go up. As a commercial radio presenter though, I have to add, it is what I hear that is the most important and I'm always thinking "would what I'm hearing get airplay and sell records?" I'm really looking forward to seeing what the North East and Scotland's Live and Unsigned have to offer.”