This Friday, House of Blues hosts the first (and perhaps only) Texas High School Rock Off, co-sponsored by Fuse, Sonicbids and Rocks Off our own damn selves. See here for information on tickets, which start at the allowance-friendly price of $8. The winner receives $500, a trophy and an opening slot for a national artist at HOB. We’re going to save the critiquing until Friday, but Tuesday, Wednesday and today, Rocks Off will help you get better acquainted with our seven contestants.
Band: Backslash
Hometown: Houston
MySpace URL (186 friends): myspace.com/backslashrocks
MySpace Headline: Rock N’ Roll Madness!
Facebook URL (1,004 members): http://apps.facebook.com/reverbnation_fb/artist/backslashrocks
Listed Genre: Rock/Metal/Progressive
Actual Sound: Exactly that… and probably a lot better when not coming out of tinny PC speakers.
Other Information: Originally instrumental rock band “23”; changed their name when they added rhythm guitar and vocals. Claim British power-metal Guitar Hero III breakout band Dragonforce, and “video game music” in general, as influences.
Band: Searching for Signal
Hometown: Houston
MySpace URL (567 friends): www.myspace.com/thesearchingforsignal
MySpace Headline: It’s So Bright EP available on iTunes NOW!
Facebook URL (252 fans): www.facebook.com/pages/Searching-For-Signal/49472290412
Listed Genre: Rock/Experimental/Indie
Actual Sound: Feathery, melodic, methodical slowcore
Other Information: Oldest band in the Rock Off (formed in January 2006). Written up in the Press last May by Nicholas L. Hall, who said they have “an uncanny knack for crafting tunes that are catchy without being disposable.” Already have another HOB gig, opening for Badfish January 29.
Band: Disfunkshun
Hometown: Houston
MySpace URL (417 friends): myspace.com/disfunkshunmusic
MySpace Headline: We love all of our fans!!!! Keep rearing us!!!!!
Facebook URL (1,004 members): www.facebook.com/disfunkshun?v=app_19935916616
Listed Genre: Funk/Experimental/Crunk
Actual Sound: Steely Dan goes to high school
Other Information: Formed in 2007 as the Rum Runners. Won third place in the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston’s 2008 Battle of the Bands. Closely aligned with fellow Rock Off contestants The Handshake.
This article appears in Jan 7-13, 2010.
