We've started getting emails and spotting bulletins from bands wanting us to vote to get them on the Dallas stop of Warped Tour 2008 (July 3 at Smirnoff). Thus far 174 bands have entered the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands to nab one of the open spots on the Dallas stop. We looked through the pages and pages of bands and picked out a few highlights.
First Class Fever bring traditional Warped Tour fare of the pop-punk style with the solid song “Mind Over Matter.” A little less sure about the other track the band posted on its contest page, “Step It Out, Sweat It Out.”
When I clicked over to the Solo 67 contest page, I was surprised to see that the track “Better Safe Than Sorry” only had 10 plays so far. The radio-friendly rock band signed with Getaway Records not too long ago, put out Everybody Has To Know this year and deserve a listen more than most of those other 174 bands. Six other songs are up for your aural enjoyment over at the group's MySpace.
My Last Entry, a female-fronted post hardcore quintet, has around 80 “you are so awesome” comments on its contest page already. The track “This Silent Dismantle” is worth checking out, but the vocals are unoriginal. (Though, admittedly, I'm probably too hard on her.)
And of course we saw some of the expected acts like The Lash Outs and Shorelines End. -- Chelsea Ide
