Are there some venues that you absolutely hate going to? Some which sway your ticket-purchasing habits in favour or against certain gigs? Well, now there's an easy way to seperate the good, the bad and the ugly (and there are many of the latter, trust us). The first IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards will take place on Saturday, October 4th at The Music Show event at Dublin's RDS, and the shortlist is:

Dublin Live Music Venue of the Year Award 2008
The Olympia Theatre
Vicar Street
Tripod
Whelan's
The Button Factory

Rest of Leinster Live Music Venue of the Year Award 2008
The Spirit Store, Dundalk, Co Louth
McHughs, Drogheda, Co Louth
Mermaid Theatre, Bray, Co Wicklow
The Stables, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, Co Offaly

Munster Live Music Venue of the Year Award 2008
The Forum, Waterford
INEC, Killarney, Co Kerry
Glór Theatre, Ennis, Co Clare
Cork Opera House, Cork
Cypress Avenue, Cork

Connaught Live Music Venue of the Year Award 2008

The Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo
McGarrigles, Sligo
The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim
Róisín Dubh, Galway
The Station House Theatre, Clifden, Co Galway

Ulster Live Music Venue of the Year Award 2008
(Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan only)
Iontas Theatre, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan
The Brewery (McKenna's), Monaghan
An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
The Chasin' Bull, Bundoran, Co Donegal
McGrory's, Culdaff, Co Donegal

Overall National Winner - IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Award 2008
To be announced at the Awards ceremony.

So what are your favourite/least favourite venues? Some of the best gigs I've seen in Dublin have been at Vicar Street, so that place holds a special place in my heart.