A battle ensues
The U of A will be hosting its annual battle of the bands contest starting this Monday on the mall at 5 pm. The bands will play twenty minute sets in hopes of getting the most audience votes at the end of the night. Scheduled bands include Sketching In Stereo, Slingshot Automatic, Class Project and Skitn.
When I found out the battle was going to be this week I started to think about why a local band would want to participate in such a contest. My past experiences have been that they are lack luster shows in front of curious people rather than die hard fans. The prizes are minimal, usually the University gives a gift certificate to the winning band, which then must be divided between the members.
Some people might think that these contests are a good way to make some new fans and gain some recognition, but this is not usually the case. "First place in the University Battle of the Bands" isn't likely to turn any industry heads or instantly boost a band's popularity. Most people who watch on the mall are merely passing by or taking a break from studying rather than showing up specifically for the bands. The few fans that are there are usually friends of the band members.
So why then do bands even participate? The answer is rooted in our very instincts. Humans are competitive. We feel the need to compare ourselves to everyone around us in order to evaluate who we are. We value self pride.
A band competes in these contests to gauge themselves against other individuals who are undertaking the same activity as them. They want to see how they stack up and win so that they can be proud that they were able to take the stage and get more votes than the other bands that played. The winners may also be filled with a new kind of hope that they are better than what else is out there and can make it in the world of music.
So whether or not it is a solid gig that helps get their name out there, a band can always take away a better understanding of where they stand in music compared to other bands in their area.
When I found out the battle was going to be this week I started to think about why a local band would want to participate in such a contest. My past experiences have been that they are lack luster shows in front of curious people rather than die hard fans. The prizes are minimal, usually the University gives a gift certificate to the winning band, which then must be divided between the members.
Some people might think that these contests are a good way to make some new fans and gain some recognition, but this is not usually the case. "First place in the University Battle of the Bands" isn't likely to turn any industry heads or instantly boost a band's popularity. Most people who watch on the mall are merely passing by or taking a break from studying rather than showing up specifically for the bands. The few fans that are there are usually friends of the band members.
So why then do bands even participate? The answer is rooted in our very instincts. Humans are competitive. We feel the need to compare ourselves to everyone around us in order to evaluate who we are. We value self pride.
A band competes in these contests to gauge themselves against other individuals who are undertaking the same activity as them. They want to see how they stack up and win so that they can be proud that they were able to take the stage and get more votes than the other bands that played. The winners may also be filled with a new kind of hope that they are better than what else is out there and can make it in the world of music.
So whether or not it is a solid gig that helps get their name out there, a band can always take away a better understanding of where they stand in music compared to other bands in their area.
posted by in2thegapagain85 at 7:29 PM
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