BATTLE BREAKS OUT IN HORSHAM THIS WEEKEND ~ Sep 7th 2007

The time for paper shuffling, talking and planning is over. The time for posturing, posing and strutting your stuff has arrived. Yes the touch paper has finally been lit on the Horsham District Battle of the Bands 07 firework and several music enthusiasts are peeking nervously at the fuse, with anticipation in their eyes and a slight wobble to their legs, just to see if the pesky thing is going to streak into the night sky and go ‘whummpphh!' and thrill us with its display and aural delights once again. Either that or the milk bottle will fall over and everybody will scatter wildly in all directions in an attempt to dodge the starry missile. Ultimately both scenarios result in the same thing – one just makes your heart beat a bit faster.

The heats have been drawn from the magic hat and the running order selected looks a little like this:

Heat 1 – Clip Vaaler, Angst, Death by Ska, In the Arms of the Dead, Method 91, About Blank.

Heat 2 – White Crisis, Dogs in Space, VannRoad, The Cuchillos, The Offshores Stand in Ruins.

Heat 3 – Cotton Candy Killers, Offside, Karpe Diem, Purple Stained Cat, Stolen Monkey, All the Presidents Men.

Heat 4 - SoulScream, No Name, Screw Loose, The Blackliners, Arrakis, Redefine.

Heat 5 – Finding Pedro, Aphia, Nausicca, Sound Theory, Droptear Modelmaker, Last Letter Read.

Both the Acoustic heat and Covers heat are still being organised.

First up for public examination are Clip Vaaler – Darth's little known South American cousins with a penchant for math groove; Angst – classic steam driven rock which given the chance will push the boundaries; Death by Ska – brass blowing Ska monkeys who like Reel Big Fish and The Mad Caddies; In the Arms of the Dead – Eviscerate morphing power boys with twiddly bits on; Method 91 – well balanced forum formed native American dancing alternative metal, About Blank – long shorted spiky punk under-practiced boys who always give their all.

All original heats will be held at the Drill Hall, Denne Road , Horsham. Doors open 6:30pm, first band on stage at 7pm. Entry £4 HDLMA members, £5 non members, you are able to become a member on the night, membership costs £1 – bargain. Triumphing in the original heats bags the winning band £500 from the Horsham District Live Music Alliance (HDLMA) and a day in 811 Sound Studios (compliments of Mikey Miller), they also get their name added to the Graham Ansell Trophy. There is also a rumour running around that the lucky winners may also get the chance to make a music video; will the giving never cease?

Horsham District Battle of the Bands is organised by the HDLMA and supported by Horsham District Council and 811 Sound Studios. For more information visit www.hdlma.co.uk A full review of the first heat will appear here next week.

Nick Jenkins

ENDS

FINAL TOUCHES BEING ADDED TO BATTLE PLANS - AUG 2007

There’s just over a week to go before Horsham District Battle of the Bands 07 races out of the starting blocks and sets off down the track like a pumped up, music fuelled, cat suited, spiky haired Linford Christie.

So nobody misses the opportunity to take part in the competition the HDLMA have decided to extend the application deadline to Monday 3rd September at noon, what nice people. As long as your application is completed and sitting on the desk of Nick Jenkins by midday on Monday you stand a chance of getting into the competition. All applications should be sent to Nick Jenkins, Horsham District Council, Park North, North Street, Horsham, RH12 1RL. If you like living on the edge you can, at a push, e-mail your application to nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk

Wobbly Squadron, who snuck up on the blind side of everybody last year and walked off with the BOTB trophy, can recommend entering the competition. Guitarist Tim said ‘Entering BOTB06 made us sort out our sound and put together a decent set we were happy with. We really enjoyed the whole process of BOTB, from the first meeting to hearing our name announced as the winners. We played against some great bands and met a lot of really nice people. It’s done us a lot of good as a band and led us to play some decent gigs and festivals including the Glade Festival which ultimately has secured us a spot at Glastonbury 08. I would recommend any band to enter as it gives you the chance to be heard in front of a lot of people through some decent gear and generally just have a really good time’. Wobbly Squadron will be playing at the Boiler Room Guildford on Thursday 27th September and recording an album in early October.

Dates for the Originals Heats are – 9, 16, 23 September 14, 21 October at The Drill Hall, with the final being held on 27 October in the Carfax. The Acoustic Heat will be held at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre on 7 October and the ever popular Covers Heat is scheduled for the 11 November at The Drill Hall.

For more information contact Nick on 01403 215216.

Nick Jenkins

ENDS

BUCKLE UP AND HOLD ON - IT'S BATTLE TIME - AUG 2007

The dust covers are off, the tyres have been kicked, and after much patting of pockets and a swift rummage behind the sofa the keys have been located. A quick turn of the ignition and that sweet tick-over burble can only mean one thing – the Horsham Battle of the Bands wagon is back up and running with a full tank of rock juice and miles of road ahead.

Yes it really is that time of year again and, after much jostling at the front of the music cage, the eagerly anticipated BOTB07 application forms have finally flown the coop and can be found pecking and preening at several locations around Horsham. These include QM Studios, Horsham Music and are downloadable from www.hdlma.co.uk .

To enter your band for this years competition first track your application form to one of the above locations. Once successfully netted, hug it and pet it and squeeze it until the novelty factor wears off and then complete the relevant information and release it back into the wild whereby it will fly around manically for a couple of days and eventually find its way back to the Music Alliance. They will care for it and if your application is successful write a lovely letter saying ‘well done now turn up on such and such a date and entertain us with your tunes'.

This year the competition comprises of 5 Original Heats, an Acoustic Heat and a Covers Heat. Dates for Originals Heats are – 9, 16, 23 September 14, 21 October at The Drill Hall, with the final being held on 27 October in the Carfax. Winners of the Original Final will receive £500, get to spend the day in 811 Sound Studios and pose proudly with the Graham Ansell BOTB Trophy.

The Acoustic Heat will be held at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre on 7 October where the winner will receive a cheque for £100. The ever popular Covers Heat which, based on all the pre competition hype, already looks like being a real blast is scheduled for the 11 November at The Drill Hall where the jubilant victors, if they can stop hugging each other for a second, will be handed over a cheque for £150.

Closing date for applications is Friday 31 st August. Horsham Battle of the Bands is organised by the Horsham District Live Music Alliance and supported by Horsham District Council and 811 Sound Studios. For more information visit www.hdlma.co.uk or call Nick 01403 215216 or e-mail nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk

Nick Jenkins

ENDS

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Click here to view the Battle of the Bands 2005 Press Release Archive
Click here to view the Battle of the Bands 2004 Press Release Archive
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