At high school rock off, distinctiveness matters

The competition rarely sees adult
contemporary or country music.

By JOHN BENSON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

If you take “angst” out of the word teenagers, you’re left with “eeer,” which could describe the first nails-on-chalkboard sounds emitted by a young but inexperienced guitar player who has delusions of big rock star grandeur in their eyes.

Whether it’s a teenage daydream or a teenage wasteland, the rebellious teenage years are often spent defining one’s self-identity by expressing individuality. At the 12th Annual Tri-C High School Rock Off, which takes place weekends tonight through Feb. 2 at the House of Blues, Live Nation Senior Vice President of Marketing and Promotions Barry Gabel said the bands and acts that rise to the top are often those showing off such distinctiveness.

“I think what happens to judges is they hear 12 bands in one night and they hear some of the same type of music,” Gabel said. “So anytime there is something left of center, those bands get a leg up because it’s different from most of the stuff that we have.

“And that’s what I hear from about a half a dozen bands we received entries from this year. I think those bands will shine when they get in front of the judges.”

One longtime judge who confirms different is good is Cuyahoga Community College Recording Program Producer Tommy Wiggins.

“First of all, judges are coming at this from a different angle,” said Wiggins, who is judging his fifth Rock Off this year. “And all I can tell you is the angle I go for is as a producer, ‘Does this band have something unique about them? Is there a character about them not just a Green Day cover band, where they’re gelling and they have their own vibe?’ Originality is the only thing that matters.”

Stylistically speaking, Gabel confirms punk and nu-metal sounds dominate the Rock Off landscape. However, over the past few years, he’s noticed an influx of R&B/funk artists, following in the footsteps of Chris Brown and Kanye West. One genre he’d like to see tackled is country music or the adult contemporary vein where one artist shows off his or her vocal performance talents.

While the competition has remained relatively the same, the venue for the High School Rock Off has been on the move of late. After its longtime home The Odeon closed in 2006, the competition spent one year at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum before relocating to the larger House of Blues. In fact, at a capacity of 1,300,  the House of Blues is the largest Rock Off venue to date.

“I think the only hurdle we had at the Rock Hall is when you’re at a club, you can either be at the stage or be at the back of the venue,” Gabel said. “And the Rock Hall is so big that on occasion if you’re not paying attention, you might not even hear the bands playing because you’d be looking at the displays.

“That has its upside and downside, where when you go to the club, all focus is on the band and what’s going on onstage. I like that. There was nothing wrong with being at the Rock Hall, but I think it puts the focus back on the band and being at the club.”

This year’s competition features 72 bands hoping to be one of 18 finalists competing at the Final Exam on Feb. 2 at the House of Blues. The winning band receives $500 in cash and a $1,000 gift card from Sam Ash Music, as well as gets the opportunity to perform on Tri-C cable television programs “Crooked River Groove” and the interview-unplugged show “Words & Music.” The act also opens for a national act at the House of Blues, while its high school band fund receives a $200 donation.

Second place receives $200 in cash plus a $100 donation to their high school band fund, while third place receives $100 in cash. The 18 finalists will record one song at MetroSync Studios for the Rock Off Volume 10 CD, which can be downloaded for free beginning Feb. 2 (www.cleveland.com/rockoff), and receive a $25 Sam Ash gift card.

Though the faces change, the bands all possess a similar spirit, which is why Gabel looks forward to the High School Rock Off every year.

“Of all the shows we do, it’s probably one of the more passionate events,” Gabel said. “I love seeing that onstage connection between the bands and the angst and the aggressiveness and the desire to want to be the next major rock star.

“It comes across on stage, and I love seeing that year after year.”