Congress of a Crow, Ben Rector seek help in online contests
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| Danelle Phillips of Congress of a Crow |
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By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
3/25/2007
Two local bands are locked in separate online contests that, if they win, could be the next big step in their careers.
Congress of a Crow has built a regional fanbase for its complex, straight-ahead rock. Now the band is trying to go national with a bid for a spot on this summer's Warped Tour, thanks to a voting spot in Ernie Ball's Battle of the Bands.
And Hero Factor lead singer and songwriter Ben Rector is tangling with an English band, Outsider, in the next round of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
Rector, a sophomore at the University of Arkansas, won his pop category last year with the song "Conversation."
"(Outsider is) definitely talented," Rector said. "They won (preliminary rounds). That definitely says something because I know it's pretty rigid competition."
Voting ends April 6, Rector said. Prizes for the winner of this round include a free printing of 1,000 CDs and a $5,000 publishing advance from the label EMI, Rector said.
From this round of winners, the contest officials will select the song of the year, netting that artist $20,000 and a slew of other prizes.
Fans can vote online at
The Metro Christian graduate's sparse and cold pop sound has gotten him praise from one contest official, he said, and he's in the midst of finishing a new album.
Rector, a business major, tries to balance his performances against a heavy college load.
"It almost feels like I'm sort of living two completely different lives," he said.
Congress of a Crow recently lost a contest to win a contract with a major label. The members will be glad to settle for a gig on the Warped Tour.
Singer Danelle Phillips said the hard-rock band, a regular on the bar circuit, has a Herculean task trying to beat out bands that already have mobilized their fans to vote on the contest Web site.
Congress of a Crow fans can vote at www.battleofthebands.com/profile.php?path=CongressofaCrow.
The number of votes will determine the top 20 bands in each city, and a panel of judges will select four out of those to play one show on the tour, the contest's Web site states.
"It's going to be quite a feat if we win this,"said Phillips.
Congress of a Crow, featuring former Vastu guitarists Adam Tichenor and Wil Sutherland, has postponed a planned video release until the band's new album is ready.
"We haven't even recorded yet," Phillips said. "Everything's so up in the air right now."
Matt Elliott 581-8366
matt.elliott@tulsaworld.com
www.myspace.com/benrector
www.myspace.com/congressofacrow
By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
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