Ah, the plight of music’s unsigned masses. It’s okay for unimaginative boyband-wannabes and solo artists. They at least have a chance of a record deal with X-Factor or You’re A Star. When it comes to raw, original and talented rock acts, however, it can feel like the world just isn’t interested.
In the early '90s a group of passionate Italian musicians, frustrated at playing to single-figure audiences, decided it was time to fight back. So was born the very first Emergenza festival, in May 1992. From the start, Emergenza proved remarkably successful – the inaugural event drew a crowd of 3,000.
“The idea was to try to get 10 or 12 bands together and rent a big venue,” explains Julien Delpy from Emergenza's Montreal head office. “Soon, about 100 bands wanted to join in and so the contest was born.”
Today, Emergenza is one of the largest global Battle of The Bands. To date 34,901 competing acts have played 5,123 shows in 394 clubs to an audience of 659,299 worldwide. Now you have a chance to add to those statistics for the first time, as Emergenza comes to Dublin in February 2006.
Heats will take place from February 8th until May 20th, in the Voodoo Lounge and Temple Bar Music Centre. The very first Irish final, scheduled for late May, will be in Vicar Street.
You can enter by logging onto the Emergenza website (www.emergenza.net). Closing date for applications is December 31st, but the organisers recommend you don’t wait that long, as places fill up quickly.
While Irish hopefuls are fighting it out, bands across the rest of Europe and the US will also be vying for a place in the grand final in Germany next August.
Irish bands on the ball have already signed-up for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t fret if you haven’t yet entered, however. There are still about 35 slots remaining(entrants must pay a €60 registration fee.)
Several weeks before the competition begins in each country, the organisers will meet the competing bands and talk to them about what sort of show they hope to play.
This creates a forum in which bands can assess the technical and artistic aspects of their 30 minute slot.
Posters will also be provided for the bands, to help them generate pre-show “buzz” and to attract as many fans as possible.
At the end of each night, the audiences chooses the winners with an old fashioned show of hands. In other words, winning over the crowd is vital.
Audience participation is dispensed with for the Irish final, at which professional judges – including music industry scouts, musicians and Emergenza organisers – will choose a winner.
Emergenza Ireland is organised with the help of Waltons Music, Dublin, which is providing vital infrastructure support, as well as meeting-rooms and stage crew.
“This is the first year that Emergenza is officially being run in Ireland,” says Conor Long of Waltons. “There was a battle of the bands that tried to connect into it last year and we did send one or two bands to the final. But it wasn’t official."
"This is the first year that it will be run by Emergenza themselves and we are really excited about it. It will be a fantastic show and a huge chance for Irish bands.”
Emergenza is open to any act not signed to a major label. Those on indies are eligible. Solo artists and duos may not enter. All band members are expected to attend pre-show meetings.
The winner from each country will get to perform at the Taubertal Festival in Germany, one of the top five European open air festivals.
The finalists play on the same bill as best-selling international bands, in front of crowds of 20,000 or more. Those who win through to Germany will have all flights and expenses covered.
The ultimate victor will get to professionally record an album in the prestigious Roastinghouse studio in Malmo, Sweden and bag a week-long slot in the Vans Warped tour across the USA.
In addition, they will receive promotional and distribution assistance from Track 1, promotional exposure in the US and Europe and full endorsement from Remo, Sennheiser, Music Man, Regal Tap and Ernie Ball. Also, the victor will win a huge array of musical equipment for drummers, guitar-strummers, keyboard-players and bassists.
Past Emergenza participants include Djip, a reggae group from France, and Germany’s Emil Bulls, who have both achieved gold disks in their home countries, with sales in excess of 100,000.
However, as fantastic as that prize is, Emergenza is not all about finding one band to love and adore. Every group that takes part will at least get some professional advice, if not a slot on further tours.
One of their tracks also has a chance of appearing on the official Emergenza compilation CD. And maybe they will even get a call back from a booking agent. There isn’t just one winner, believe the organizers.
The idea is that Emergenza helps all of those who enter.
After the shows, there will be a feedback station that gives each band a chance to interact with the judges and to listen to their observations, both good and bad.
We have Waltons to thank for bringing Emergenza to bands in garages all over Ireland.
“Waltons got involved first at the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show – a big show that’s held in LA every January where all the music manufacturers display their gear,” says Long.
Waltons is the distributor for Crete and Ampeg amplifiers and Remo drumheads – all of which sponsor Emergenza.
“It was through requests from them that we met the guys from Emergenza. They wanted to get something set up in Ireland. They reckoned it was untapped,” he says.
“That was back in January and it’s taken this long to get the shows fitted into what else is going on around the world – that’s just how big this is."
So what are you waiting for? Log on to the official site and click on the ‘Book Your Band’ link. It just might be the best decision you've ever made. b