Bands battle for supremacy

By John Benson

A lucky year 13 is what organizers of the annual Tri-C High School Rock Off are expecting in 2009 at the popular battle of the bands event, which takes place weekends now through Jan. 31 at the House of Blues in Cleveland.

“Every year is lucky 13 with this thing,” laughed Live Nation Senior Vice President Marketing and Promotions Barry Gabel. “It never ceases to amaze me how impressive the bands are on a high school level and how sophisticated they actually are in their genre. They’ve listened to and grown up on stuff from Black Sabbath and Nickelback to Creed and the Talking Heads.

“Not only do they try to emulate that kind of sound that they feel is their mentor music, but they put their own spin on it. And the best part about it is they come to the table with a lot of passion. It’s very cool in seeing it as a promoter who has been involved in the business for almost 30 years.”

Prior to last year’s Tri-C High School Rock Off, Gabel’s aforementioned list of influential bands probably wouldn’t have included The Talking Heads. However, everything changed with 2008 Avon High School winning band Thee TV Oh Dees, which not only channeled a David Byrne-Talking Heads vibe but was decidedly different and more progressive sounding than the quintessential screamo and ska bands that seemingly dominate the Rock Off line-up.

“When we first started the event 13 years ago, we did hear a lot of speed metal and three-chords-and-a-cloud-of-dust music,” Gabel said. “And now I hear a lot more jam bands and jazz influences and stuff like the Joe Satrianis and the Dream Theaters. It champions the fact that we have a diversity of music.

“So now a band like the Thee TV Oh Dees, which is left of center from what might be quintessential of the Rock Off sound. It shows you that the kids can reach for a lot more sounds than just the Nickelback and traditional rock ’n’ roll stuff.”

This year’s competition features 66 bands, down from last year’s 72 groups, hoping to be one of 18 finalists competing at the Final Exam on Jan. 31 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.

New for this year’s winner will be free tickets to the April 2009 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony taking place in Cleveland. Also, MetroSync Studios will award the winning band five hours of free recording time, the second place band with three hours and the third place winner with one free hour.

Second place receives $200 in cash plus a $100 donation to their high school band fund, while third place receives $100 in cash. In addition, second and third place bands will receive iPod docking stations. The 18 finalists will record one song at MetroSync Studios for the Rock Off Volume 10 CD, which can be downloaded for free beginning Jan. 31 (www.cleveland.com/rockoff), and receive a $25 Sam Ash gift card.

Considering the Rock Off is driven by a combustible and intoxicating cocktail of burgeoning musical talent, festering teenage angst and alluring stardom, it would appear as though the Rock Off could last indefinitely.

“The Rock Off has always celebrated the spirit of high school,” Gabel said. “Similar to outlets for high school sports or the debate club or high school chess team or whatever, this gives a chance to young musicians to foster their talent. So as long as there is music out there, there’s going to be a Rock Off because, you know, kids want to rock.”