March 18, 2003

Pavilion Hosts Battle of the Bands Competition Featuring Local and Houston-Based Talent

The Woodlands, TX, Mar. 18, 2003 - Five bands compete for five hours during the first annual Battle of the Bands Mar. 30 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The event takes place from 1-6 p.m. on The Tommy Hilfiger T-Stage in The Pavilion's North Plaza. Doors open at noon.

General admission tickets are $5. The lineup includes popular local and Houston-based bands Hollister Fracus, Pale, Brother Luck, Phuz and Paris Green - all competing for $500. "We are very excited to launch an event that promotes budding local bands without having them perform under the shadow of a national touring act," said Jamie Ruggiero, Battle of the Bands coordinator for The Pavilion. "Each band has a unique sound that contributes to the musical diversity of the event. They are unconsciously setting the stage for future events at The Pavilion, where even more local talent will have an opportunity to shine somewhere other than a nightclub."

Heading the lineup is Houston-based hard rock band Hollister Fracus, a band that has produced three independent albums and toured the southern United States. Members Aaron Lakner, drums, Jerry Lanza, bass, Mike Pruneda, guitar, and Jim Finley, vocals, pride themselves on the determination and strength that drives the band to combine powerful grooves and up-front melodies in their live shows.

Rock and roll group Pale boasts a highly original sound while maintaining a classic sense for songwriting. Members Calvin Stanley, lead vocals and guitar, Steven Wesson, bass, Travis Mittour, drums, Rob Moore, guitar, and Brian Taylor, keyboards, recently released “High Up and Away,” demonstrating the band's ability to explore a wide range of musical styles.

Brother Luck consists of members Rozino Smith, lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, Kevin Smith, drums and percussion, Preston Rhone, bass, Chris Loocke, guitar, John Cordes, guitar, and Hank Hamberg, guitar. The group, an acoustic-driven, modern rock band, uses a powerful combination of contemplative lyrics and riveting harmonies to channel the emotions and energy of the audience. Phuz, a unique band with its own blend of organic groove and ambient pop, consists of members Edwin Casapao, electric and upright bass, Edward Casapao, drums, percussion and sampling, Dea, vocals, and Ken Sarmiento, acoustic and electric guitars. With music that juxtaposes personal melodies with epic soundscapes, the group has played with well-known artists Sade, India Arie, Chris Isaak and Natalie Merchant.

The final band performing at Battle of the Bands is Paris Green, featuring the talents of Justin Pena, guitar, Matt Gosney, bass, Mike Potter, drums, Matt Patin, vocals, and Will Moran, turntables. With a musical style described as soulful and hard-core funk, the band released a two-song demo in the fall of 2002, both played on Houston's Alternative Radio Station, 94.5 The Buzz.

Pam Kelly, host of "The Texas Buzz," a popular local radio show that airs Sunday night on 94.5 The Buzz, hosts the event. Each band plays for 30-40 minutes. A panel of local industry judges, including Quinn Bishop, manager of Cactus Records, Jeff Messina, booker for Clear Channel Entertainment, Bob Ruggiero, music writer for the Houston Press, and KHOU-TV's Ginger Cearley, awards a $100 cash prize in each of five categories the bands will be judged on.

General admission tickets for the Battle of the Bands are $5 and can be purchased at The Pavilion Ticket Office, located at 2005 Lake Robbins Drive in The Woodlands, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or at the door one hour before the show. Most major credit cards are accepted. Tickets are also available at Cactus Records, located at 2930 S. Shepherd Drive in Houston. Food and beverages are available for an additional charge. Free parking is available in The Pavilion's on-site garage.

For more information regarding upcoming events at The Pavilion, call 281-363-3300 or visit The Pavilion’s Web site at pavilion.woodlandscenter.org. # # # Electronic photos available upon request. For more information, contact:

Cindy DuBois, Public Relations Manager The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands 281-363-9783 or cdubois@woodlandscenter.org

Founded in 1990, The Center for the Performing Arts at The Woodlands, home of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides diverse, high-quality performing and visual arts events for the entertainment and enrichment of a broad regional audience. Through numerous educational and community outreach programs, The Center is a catalyst for attracting new audiences to the performing and visual arts and building strong ties between the arts and educational institutions.