by Sam Beresky
Daily Lobo
There is nothing like a good, old-fashioned battle of the bands to get America dancing again.
The New Mexico Music Showcase is an annual event that crowns the best band in five categories. The categories -rock, hard rock, rhythm rock, eclectic and Americana.
This year, the showcase decided to team up with Transmission Magazine, a monthly music magazine highlighting talent from New Mexico, to put on the event.
"We were both trying to promote local music to bring broader exposure, both local and national, to the musical talent we have here," said Steve Maes, showcase director.
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Maes said the goals of the event are to provide the best original bands in New Mexico, help people discover local bands that they like, have an event that focuses on the music and not the party and provide the best bands in New Mexico with a broader audience.
All five winners will get a full day of recording with a Grammy-nominated producer at Santa Fe's Stepbridge Studios, 300 CDs from Rolling R Productions, music store gift certificates and feedback from a panel of music industry experts.
"Representatives from Warner Brothers in Los Angeles, Sony in New York, Sanctuary Music in Manhattan, as well as radio personalities, will all be sitting on the music industry panel," Maes said.
But can a music competition ever really be judged objectively? Organizers created a list of criteria to evaluate performances. Creativity and musicianship are each worth 20 percent, artistic power and stage presence are each worth 15 percent each. The last 30 percent of the score is based on "overall impression."
"I think the competition aspect of the N.M. Showcase is strange," said vocalist Matt Mindy of the Mindy set. "It is difficult to judge in terms of competitive nature, when in reality art is in the eye of the beholder and is subject to perception, tastes and opinions."
Still, Mindy is feeling competitive
"With all of that said, we are going to kick Unit 7 Drain's butt, and wipe it with Mistletoe."
Kevin R Elder, bassist for Unit 7 Drain, doesn't think so.
"The only band I know we could beat for sure is The Mindy Set," Elder said. "If we were playing them it would be no contest. I mean, who are those guys anyway? Really, have you seen them hack away at their instruments like a bunch of neanderthals attempting to evolve while using primitive tools? It's hard to describe their music, but I think the word 'crap' will suffice. Other than that, it should be a really good competition."
All fun and fighting aside, the 45 bands set to play the Showcase are excited about the prospect.
"It's an opportunity for local bands to really focus on putting on a great show," said Mistletoe guitarist Alex Rose. "Also, there are usually lots of people in the audience who don't go to shows that often, so it's a chance to expand your audience if you really impress some of those people."
Some performers consider dividing the scene up into different categories the only fair way to judge.
"I am impressed with the Showcase for picking five winners in five different styles, that is very fair," said Danny Winn of Danny Winn and the Earthlings.
With any competition there has to be a loser and Winn summed up the idea in grand style.
"If we loose in the first or second rounds of the Showcase, we'll be the best damned losers of all the losers in the entire event," he said. "Seriously though, all the bands performing in the Showcase are very good and I'd hate to be the one judging this event. Good luck to all."
