Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition
The Basement is proud to present the second annual Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition. 24 bands. 3 Months. Over $1,000 in cash prizes. Are you band enough?
What is the Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition?
The Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition is a large-scale competition among the best metal and hardcore bands in the Northern Utah area. Think of your typical “battle of the bands,” but more epic.
What is the prize?
1st Place: $500 cash + free recording time at The Basement’s recording studio.
2nd Place: $300 cash
3rd Place: $200 cash
4th Place: $200 cash
What is the format of the tournament?
24 bands will compete across 10 concerts in a bracket-style tournament.
Round 1 – “Regionals”
In the first round, four bands will compete each night, with the top two moving on to the next round. Shows will take place each Friday and Saturday night, beginning on April 27 and concluding on May 12. In Round 1, the field will be narrowed down from 24 bands to a solid 12.
Round 2 – “Sectionals”
The second round is sure to test the remaining bands’ mettle, as four bands will compete each night, with only the top ranked band moving on. Shows will take place on June 2, 9, and 16. The band with the highest overall score in the second round that did not make it through on their night will be invited to advance as the “Wildcard” band. In Round 2, the field will be further narrowed from 12 bands to the top 4.
Round 3 – “Finals”
The four finalists will perform on July 21, 2012. Each of these bands will receive a prize for competing, but only one will earn the right to be called “Champion.”
When will the Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition take place?
The tournament will begin in April and will take place on Friday and Saturday nights, leading up to the final four-way battle royale on July 21, 2012.
How will the Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition be judged?
The winner of the Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition will be the band who has best mastered the most fundamental skills required for musical success. Each night, judges will score each band according to musicianship and performance quality. [How well do you work the stage? How well to do fire up the crowd? How well do you actually play?] But to be truly successful, a band must not only write good music and perform well, but must be able to market itself. [How well do you pound the pavement and work your personal network to get tickets into the hands of your potential fans?]
Bands will be judged on the following criteria:
1 – Musicianship – 20%
(Determined by judges’ scoring)
2 – Stage Presence, Appearance, and Personality – 20%
(Determined by judges’ scoring)
3 – Originality & Songwriting – 20%
(Determined by judges’ scoring)
4 – Crowd Response – 20%
(Determined by judges’ scoring)
5 – Marketing – 20%
(Determined by crowd vote – each person in the crowd will be allowed to vote for who they like the best. However, each person in the crowd can vote for as many of the bands as they’d like. So, just selling tickets doesn’t guarantee you anything–you need to market to the crowd to convince them to vote for you!)
The Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition will require your band to master each of these five realms.
How does my band sign up?
In order to be considered for the Tournament of Champions – Metal Edition, you must complete the form below. Sign ups will close on March 27, 2012, at midnight.
Is my band guaranteed a spot in the competition if we sign up?
Because there are only a limited number of spots available, merely signing up does not guarantee you a spot in the competition. Preference will be awarded to those bands that have previous experience playing at The Basement, and with whom we have had a positive experience. After reviewing applications, we will notify your band of our decision by March 28, 2012. A mandatory meeting will be held on March 28 at 7:30PM, for all bands competing in the competition. Failure to attend this meeting will result in immediate disqualification.