On Feb. 1, drums begin to rattle Sprockets Pub. It’s the first night of Albuquerque Rising: The Battle of the Bands.
Thirty-three-year-old organizer Tommy Gonzales (shown right) sets up equipment and passes glasses of beer to several friends. This is the beginning of the two-month long preliminaries, in which four bands compete each night for two entries into the semifinals. The crowds gradually grow and competing bands come closer to winning free digital recording time with Window Pane Productions and gift certificates worth up to $500 at Castillos Tattoo.
At the end of each Thursday night, gift certificates for tattoos, body piercing and smoking accessories are raffled off, with the money going toward art supplies for public elementary schools. Gonzales, who began the competition as an opportunity for local bands to perform, will be producing another similar program in the near future. Daily Lobo photographer Lewis Jacobs spent the past month covering the semifinals. The final four bands battle tonight at 9 p.m. at Sprocket’s Pub, across the street from UNM.
Read more about the battle of the bands.
