RAINBOW BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Legendary Rainbow Restaurant in Pinetown runs a band competition from January 2010 to June 2010.

Entries are now open for So, do you like our Music?, a battle of the bands being presented at the legendary Rainbow Restaurant situated at 23 Stanfield Lane, Pinetown. The title of the project has a double meaning. It is the question the groups competing will be asking the audience and judges. It is also the question South Africa will be asking visitors during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

Groups wishing to enter can compete in one of the following categories: Maskanda; Isicathamiya; Afro-Beat/Mbhaqanga; Afro-Jazz/Jazz, and Youth category (incorporating afro-pop, afro-rock, hip-hop, kwaito etcetera).

In the first round, groups from each category will compete against one another to find the top three or four groups in that category (depending on number of entries). The second round will be the category finals where the top group will be identified from each category. It should be noted here that there would be two category winners’ prizes for the Youth Category.

Category Winners will receive a cash prize of R5,000 per group. The six Category Winners will then go on to compete in the Grand Finale where the best group displaying the necessary skills, musicality and promise will walk away with a full recording contract from the KZN Music House managed by Committed Artists.

In addition to the above-mentioned prizes, other event partners such as Prosound and Yamaha have donated equipment prizes such as microphones and PA systems. Vouchers from Yamaha’s retail arm, Music Inc at the La Lucia Mall, can be won by audience members and competitors during the heats. Category winners and other outstanding acts who participate will get commercial performance slots at the Rainbow when World Cup matches are screened at the venue.

Groups competing will perform on the latest ElectroVoice Tour-X PA system, installed at the Rainbow by Prosound who will provide all additional sound reinforcement requirements of the project. Music Inc will provide a complete backline set-up consisting of a Yamaha piano and synthesizer, Yamaha Stage Custom Birch Drum Kit, Crate acoustic and lead guitar amplifiers and an Ampeg bass amplifier.

A further developmental aspect of the project comes courtesy of the Durban University of Technology’s Department of Entertainment Technology, which will be supplying the engineers for the technical management of the project. This will provide the students with crucial practical experience in the build up to the World Cup.

For further information, groups can contact the Rainbow Restaurant on 031 702 9161 or 083 463 8044 during office hours. Entry forms can be collected from the Rainbow and can be found in the weekly editions of our media partners Umafrika newspaper or on the Rainbow’s website at www.therainbow.co.za