“Battle of the Bands” competitions are sometimes controversial. While the debate around them hasn’t quite risen to the level of debate around open mic nights, some competitions have definitely turned out to be less lucrative to the musicians than they first appear. That said, other competitions that are ran by reputable companies can offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, sponsorship and other prizes.
These competitions usually take the form of bands (often, but not always, rock bands) competing to be the ‘best band’ perhaps in various categories or genres.
Usually judged by a panel of experienced musicians and industry experts, the prizes can range from a day in a recording studio, to a sought after support slot for a big band, or perhaps even a lucrative sponsorship deal.
When this is the case, entering a Battle of the Bands contest can, at the very least, be a great way of getting involved with a local music scene and meet other musicians and promoters.
However, there are other competitions that may also offer more dubious opportunities and may even ask for payment to enter the competition.
In this blog, we’ll examine the pros and cons of BOTB competitions, and how to spot the better ones.
Loading ...Is a battle of the bands worth doing?
When considering entering a competition, there are some factors to consider, in order to make sure you avoid wasting your time, or potentially even being scammed.
1. Does the competition look legitimate?
While the quality of advertising and website/social media can often give you a “feel” of how legitimate a competition is, do as much research as you can.
Sometimes even the most professional competitions can turn out to be rotten. There are several Facebook “blacklist” style groups that can help with sussing these out, and you can often find them by doing a cursory search.
Once joined, use the search function within the group to flag up any possible posts.
Being asked to pay to enter any competition can be a major red flag. Always try and find out as much about the company behind the competition as you can.
2. How much time will you have to invest?
As with any project, you must carefully assess how much time it will take, versus how much reward will be offered…
If you have to play 5 slots in front of no more than a panel of 4 local music industry types, with no audience and no consolidation prizes, will it really be worth it?
Try and work out what your “worst case scenario” is. If the competition is bound to be well attended then it could well be that, even if you loose the competition, you come away with 100 more people knowing about your band that previously didn’t.
3. Read the small print on the application
No matter how amazing the prize being offered is, you must always understand the nuance of what’s going to take place if you win or lose.
It’s all very well being offered a weeks worth of recording time, but who will own the masters when you are done?
Will you have to give away any sync rights to your music? Always read the fine print to any prize or entry.
How to win a BOTB!
If you’ve thoroughly vetted a competition and still decided to go ahead, then your next stage should probably be working out how to win! Here are some things to think about..
Bands are more likely to win a Battle of the Bands competition if:
- The band is musically tight and in tune.
- The band is charismatic and gives off energy
- Be professional at all times
Musicians should tune up before they go on stage and should be as tight as possible, performing together as one harmonious unit.
There is no space to make mistakes – everyone should know his or her part well. From the point of view of the audience, a charismatic band is a fun band.
Even if the band is lacking somewhat musically, bringing energy and passion to the stage is extremely important. After all, a large part of the job of a musician is to be an entertainer.
A band’s reputation is everything and, by acting unprofessionally, a band is not only decreasing their chances of winning the competition, but also of being booked to play a gig off the back of their performance.
As most competitions only allow bands around 5 to 15 minutes on stage, it is important to make every second count.
Because of this, it’s important that musicians are careful about what material they perform, how they look and how they interact with the audience.
At most BOTB competitions, bands get one opportunity to perform, so obviously, it’s important that the band performs its best song; ideally one the local audience is familiar with.
When choosing your material, try and pick songs that work together and flow well, but also show off your band’s most diverse material.
Interaction with the audience is a great way of ensuring a good response, so consider creating a section of the song where the audience can participate, either by clapping in rhythm or by singing a simple chorus. That said, read the room a little on whether or not it’s appropriate!
By making the audience feel involved, the reaction will be better, therefore increasing the chance of winning the competition.
Have you ever won a battle of the bands? What was your experience like? Have you played one where you felt the whole event was a con? Let us know in the comments below…
