Top New Mexico bands will partake in a fierce battle. The weapon of choice: metal.
Battle of the Bands takes place at the Launchpad on Sunday. After five preliminary rounds last fall, the field has been narrowed to 10 finalists.
Gorilla Productions Booking Agent Kevin McGinn said the event gives attendees a chance to hear music they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to, while helping local musicians gain exposure.
“You have the opportunity to meet different bands and set up future shows with each other,” he said. “We always hear from bands that they met another band at one of our battles and are going to do future shows.”
Gorilla Productions discovered the bands on Myspace, and it made sure to be open to all genres when contacting potential bands.
Timothy Atkinson, a UNM student and bassist/backup vocalist in Officer Nasty, said most entrants are heavy metal bands.
“I think mostly they cater to the heavy metal scene in Albuquerque, at least,” he said. “It’ll be heavy and a lot of fun, and we’ll probably meet some great musicians.”
At the end of the show, contenders will line the stage, and the audience will determine the winner by cheering the loudest for their favorite. The winner will receive $500, 20 hours of studio recording time and a headlining gig scheduled at a later date. There is also a $100 second-place prize.
Atkinson said the event’s competitive element drives groups to deliver rousing performances, and that makes the shows worth attending.
“People want to … show that they’re better,” he said. “Especially in metal, there’s a lot of rivalry.”
McGinn said the show gives people a taste of up-and-coming musicians.
“I can tell you the atmosphere at our shows is phenomenal,” he said. “The competition aspect of the show is almost just a novelty. Of course, the awards in the finals are cool, but more importantly, our goal is to get about 300 new faces in front of your band that could all be potential fans.”
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Judging by his personal experience, Atkinson said the finals round is promising for those seeking an electrifying exhibition.
“It’s my personal feeling that nothing beats the energy of a metal show, because people just get pumped up,” he said. “The singer gets into it. He gets the crowd going, and the energy’s just incredible. I’ve been to some really good indie shows, but nothing has matched the energy of metal shows.”
