Events

Had a wonderful, wonderful time emceeing the Battle of the Bands this past Friday at the Wesley Center.  I’ll post some pics and info below, including links to the bands if anyone wants to check out some new talent.  In the meantime, two quick and exciting things:

The incredible Charlaine Harris (great writer and so supportive of other authors) did a nice write-up of Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires series and others over at her blog.

Tomorrow night, The New York Review of Science Fiction Readings presents fab friends and authors Laura Anne Gilman and Keith R.A. DeCandido at the Soho Gallery for Digital Art on 138 Sullivan Street, NYC from 6:30 – 9:00.  Hope you’ll check them out.

And now, to the Battle of the Bands,  a benefit on behalf of New Beginnings, help for the homeless.  The bands were so talented and the people involved so wonderful that it really made the evening.  I thought I’d gotten pics of each of the bands, but, unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.  I’ll post some of what I have here, though.

First up was Set The Score, a group which competed in the 2011 Battle of the Bands’ Ernie Ball 15 as well.  They had a bit of a Ramones flavor to their music, I thought.  The drummer (below) was kind enough to let my son bang on his drums.  Pictured here are also one of the guitarists and the lead singer/guitarist.

Next was Fallback 16, a punk/rock band from Kissimmee, pictured here.  Mandi, the fabulous coordinator was kind enough to let me grab this pic from her Facebook album, since mine of them on stage didn’t turn out terribly well.  Just beside them, I have Mandi and my son, who was very excited to hang with the bands.

Radagun came all the way from Jacksonville, FL and had the only female singer.  They recently opened for 100 Monkeys, a band which has as a member Jackson Rathbone, who plays Jasper in the Twilight movies.  So, there you go, vampire-related and therefore up my alley.

My son particularly loved hanging with Deadbolt Revival, because they’d talk Halo with him.  Deadbolt Revival is a Christian hard rock/rap band made up of a great bunch of guys with uber amounts of stage-presence and commitment.  Definitely check them out.   Here they are setting up backstage and striking manly poses.  (Note to self: see if Mandi has a pic of the whole band.)

Last, but definitely not least, Vagrant Undertow, a band after my own heart.  They’re listed as an “energetic punk/rock band joining us from Orange Park,” but I thought of them as more alternative.  I would absolutely come out to see these guys again. Much fun and “energetic” suits them perfectly.  Here I am standingwith them.  Yes, one of these things is not like the others.  Your call.

I understand the voting was very, very close.  In the end, Deadbolt Revival (think Creed meets Rage Against the Machine, my husband says) came in first, with Vagrant Undertow nipping at their heels.

(Ack, still trying to figure out formatting on WordPress.  Sorry for the odd configuration!)