It looks like the Unsmokable Brokes will be participating in a Point Park Battle of the Bands next Tuesday (Oct. 27). Unfortunately, I don't have a time or place verified yet. I will post that information as soon as I find out.
The show is a full-band gig, complete with sound systems and drum kits. As far as I know, each band will play a half-hour set (about 6-8 songs). I don't know what the turnout will be like, but the band and I are approaching it like any other legitimate gig.
We have had some experience with Battle of the Bands-type shows before. On the downside, the judging is not the fairest it could be. The shows are usually set up by a band or by someone closely tied to a band, and the location is never neutral. On the upside, these types of shows have the potential to draw a large crowd with varying musical interests. Also, there is the guaranteed audience of the other bands performing, which always means opportunity to network.
At the very least, Battle of the Bands can be viewed as any other show. They present the same opportunities and the same audience (if not a larger audience). The only worry is that your band might not get many votes, but as I said before, the judging is often meaningless. All in all, I am looking forward to the opportunity and to scope out Point Park as a venue and a pool for potential fans.
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3 comments:
If the battle is earlier in the day, I'll come by to cover and take photos for the Post-Gazette. But I get done at 3 p.m. I'm thinking that it will be later in the afternoon, right?
Also, what I would like to know about this blog is more about the band personalities. Who are you guys? What drives you? Maybe some of that is in older posts, but I'd like to get a better sense of what kind of guys you are.
Are there any personal rituals you guys do before a show? What lines are you guys not willing to cross? Which lines do you cross all the time? That's how you gain online fanhood, but letting the readers know about yourselves. It wouldn't be so bad if you let the other band members post on here, too. It would help out the blog a ton.
I think the show is actually later in the evening, but I appreciate the suggestion. If you're still interested in coming by off the clock I'll make sure I get all the info I can to you...but it's up to you, and you might not want to be out that late.
I would suggest you read my first two posts, especially, because they work to sum up some things about the band and my hopes for the blog.
As far as letting the band members post, I think it is a great idea, and I have tried...evidently not hard enough, yet. In the meantime, some of their ideas are on here through me, but there is no reason why I can't cut out the middle man (i.e. me) as long as I still manage to keep the blog going in the right direction.
Finally, I think there is a lot of noteworthy ingenuity and creative expression in the band from their music to their ideals to their quirks. As I mentioned in a recent post, I've been hitting the wall with tapping into Pittsburgh's musical resources, so it might be a good idea to use this time to profile the band a little better until "the levee breaks." Hopefully that will paint the kind of picture you are looking for.
Also...I encourage everyone to check out our myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/theunsmokablebrokes
The songs on there were recorded in a basement, but in my opinion they sound pretty good, and they are kind of an essential part of this blog.
As we finish new recordings, I will get them directly on the blog.
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