 The red battle 2009 do not play it!!
Just to make the same points as Ricki, we're not posting these things cos we're bitter about not winning, we're trying to warn other bands about this scam before they get disappointed.
Ascension played in The Red Battle 2008, at first we thought it sounded good so we applied for it. We found out it was text voting which cost you 50p + network charge to vote for the band that you wanted to win.
Some of the bands pulled out after realising it was a money making scam, but we decided to stay and see it through.
Basically, it's a popularity contest which is all about which band can throw most money at the organisers with voting money. It's not about the music at all, because there was no judges present in the heats. The national final in Liverpool stated that you needed to sell 50 tickets before the judges' opinion was taken into consideration.
I can't understand who would buy a ticket to see a local band in a different country!
It's a shame cos lots of good bands played and in the end it was the most mainstream, indie, ned band who won, cos they brought about 100 thug fans and the organisers realised that they would be the ones to make them the most money.
The reason I'm writing this is because if someone had written this before we applied, we wouldn't have bothered with it.
If you are considering playing the Red Battle this year, be very wary, read the rules properly and take into account what Ricki and Myself have to say about it.
Dick |