Tag Archives: Localpalooza

PHOTOS: Inland bands battle at Localpalooza

Assuming We Survive singer Adrian Estrella revs up the crowd at X103.9’s Localpalooza competition at M15 in Corona on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013.(Rob Inderrieden/Freelance Photographer)

If you missed it over the weekend, X103.9’s Localpalooza returned for a second year and was a big success with fans and bands at M15 in Corona on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Assuming We Survive won the battle, which featured 11 bands, and will go on to open the San Bernardino-based radio station’s Merry Meltdown concert with Korn and Stone Temple Pilots on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.

View the full gallery of Localpalooza photos featuring Assuming We Survive, As You Were, El Robo, Pandemic Unleashed, Slivir, Slowfall, Star Off Machine, T4P, The Action Potential, The Red Level and The Rebel Noise over at the iGuide.

CORONA: Assuming We Survive wins X103.9’s Localpalooza

Assuming We Survive performs at Localpalooza at M15 on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. (Rob Inderrieden/Freelance Photographer)

Anyone who doubts the thriving music scene of the Inland Empire wasn’t at M15 in Corona for the Localpalooza competition on Saturday, Nov. 2.

I was fortunate enough to be a judge for the second year of the competition, which is put on by San Bernardino-based radio station X103.9, an outlet that has been waving the flag for local music for a very long time.

After 11 energy-filled performances that had fans waving homemade signs, bouncing balloons and partying in the pit, Assuming We Survive took home the crown. The band, whose members live all around the Inland region (Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Riverside, Chino and Upland), will open X103.9’s Merry Meltdown show on Dec. 14 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario with Korn, Stone Temple Pilots, Sick Puppies and Big B. Tickets for the show are on sale via www.axs.com and at the arena’s box office. They are priced from $29.50 to $59.50, before fees.

Assuming We Survive performs at Localpalooza at M15 on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. (Rob Inderrieden/Freelance Photographer)

It’s been a big year for Assuming We Survive. The rock group, which has elements of punk and metal in its sound, released a new EP, “Get Busy Living,” earlier this year and has earned spots on a number of prestigious shows around the region, including a recent stint opening for The Used at Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare attraction in Pomona.

The title track from the new EP was among the highlights in the band’s set, which had the audience chanting “Hey!” in unison and singing along at various points in the set.

Assuming We Survive and Rancho Cucamonga’s As You Were were the only bands in the competition that also performed at the 2012 Localpalooza competition. As You Were also got a lot of crowd reaction, as they blazed through a nu-metal set and fans volleyed homemade balloons–decorated with the band’s logo and name in black magic marker–in the crowd.

Other highlights of the evening included a set by Riverside’s El Robo, which is making truly original music and is a band to watch in the Inland scene, and The Rebel Noise, a new band out of Palm Springs.

The other burgeoning talents that performed included Pandemic Unleashed, Slivir, The Red Level, T4P, The Action Potential, Slowfall and Star Off Machine.

Congratulations to all of the bands for making it into the competition. I look forward to hearing more from you in the coming months.

Check out the photo gallery from Localpalooza over at the iGuide.

Here’s a look at Assuming We Survive at Warped Tour 2013.

MUSIC: Dose of Adolescence releases new video

Dose of Adolescence performs during the Merry Meltdown concert at Citizens Business Bank Arena Sunday in Ontario, CA. December 16, 2012. (2012/File Photo)

Dose of Adolescence has had a big year. After winning X103.9’s Localpalooza last November and opening the station’s Merry Meltdown show at Citizens Business Bank Arena, the Rancho Cucamonga band went on to play the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

Some of the band’s journey with Localpalooza and Merry Meltdown is documented in the new video for “Never Want to Say Goodbye” and you’ll even spot X103.9’s morning host Doug Durocher in the clip.

Take a look at the new video and then watch the Dose boys on PE Live, which we filmed earlier this year. You can even hear an acoustic version of “Never Want to Say Goodbye.”

Watch Dose of Adolescence perform “Sleepless in Southern California” on PE Live.

Watch the Dose of Adolescence interview on PE Live.

CORONA: M15 hosts Localpalooza battle of the bands Nov. 2

Naive Children performs at X1039’s Localpalooza at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012. (2012/File Photo)

Localpalooza isn’t just another battle of the bands; it’s a competition that gives the winner a spotlight on an arena stage.

Nearly a dozen groups will face off at M15 in Corona on Saturday, Nov. 2 and the winner will go on to open KCXX X103.9 FM’s Merry Meltdown concert on Dec. 14 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario with Korn, Stone Temple Pilots, Sick Puppies and more.

[mappress mapid=”388″]

This is the second year that the San Bernardino-based radio station has held the competition. The 2012 winners, Dose of Adolesence, have had a huge year since, even netting some dates on the Vans Warped Tour this summer. I will be one of the judges for the competition again this year.

There has been a change to the lineup for the show. Late Night Revival had to drop off, but The Red Level has stepped in.

Here’s the list of bands facing off (and where they’re from). The only returning competitors are Assuming We Survive and As You Were.

Click on the links to get to know a little bit more about the bands.

Assuming We Survive, Rancho Cucamonga
As You Were, Rancho Cucamonga
El Robo, Riverside
Pandemic Unleashed, Riverside
Slivir, Mira Loma
SlowFall, Corona
Star Off Machine, Costa Mesa
T4P, Rancho Cucamonga
The Action Potential, Riverside
The Red Level, Lake Elsinore
The Rebel Noise, Palm Springs

5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, M15, 9022 Pulsar Ct. Suite H, Corona, $10, all ages.

Visit www.facebook.com/Localpalooza and www.x1039.com for more information.

CORONA: Finalists announced for Localpalooza competition at M15

Grieve for Tomorrow performs at X1039’s Localpalooza in 2012. (2012/File Photo)

San Bernardino-based radio station X103.9 is bringing back its Localpalooza competition this year.

The local battle of the bands has a big-time prize–an opening slot at the station’s Merry Meltdown concert Dec. 14 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario with Korn, Stone Temple Pilots, Sick Puppies and more.

I was a judge for last year’s event, which Dose of Adolescence won, and I’ll be back as a judge for this year’s, too. This time, the event takes place at M15 in Corona on Saturday, Nov. 2.

The station just announced the bands who will be competing for a spot and among the 12 finalists 2012 contestants are As You Were and Assuming We Survive.

Assuming We Survive
As You Were
El Robo
Late Night Revival
On Being Human
Pandemic Unleashed
Slivir
Slowfall
Star Off Machine
T4P
The Action Potential
The Rebel Noise

Five of the bands hail from Riverside and four are from Rancho Cucamonga.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door for Localpalooza.

You can follow more on Localpalooza via X103.9 and the Localpalooza Facebook page.

Here’s last year’s winner, Dose of Adolescence, on our weekly video show PE Live.

LOCAL MUSIC: Enter X103.9’s Localpalooza contest

Dose of Adolescence performs at X1039’s Localpalooza at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012. The group competed with nine other Southern California bands, winning a spot to play at the radio station’s Merry Meltdown concert in December. (2012/File Photo)

This one is for the local musicians and the supporters of local music out there–X103.9 FM is holding the Localpalooza contest again.

The bands face off in a battle to land a spot opening X103.9’s Merry Meltdown headlined by Stone Temple Pilots and Korn. (By the way, the announcement of the Merry Meltdown lineup, tickets and more are posted at the Audio File blog.) I was one of the judges last year and was once again amazed by the talent from the Inland Empire.

To enter Localpalooza, your band must be based in Southern California. There will be 12 finalists selected who will perform at Localpalooza on Nov. 2, at M15 in Corona, where a panel of judges will select the winner. The winner will open the Merry Meltdown on Dec. 14.

Here’s what X103.9 needs from you if you’re entering:
1. 2-song demo CD. Flash drives, full-lengths, etc. will NOT be accepted.
2. 1-page band BIO, including city of origin, recent past gigs, draw, etc.

(Don’t throw in anything else, they’re serious about it.)

You can send your materials (or drop them off) on or before Friday, Oct. 11 to X1039’s LOCALPALOOZA 242 Airport Drive #106, San Bernardino, CA, 92408.

Visit www.x1039.com for more information.

ONTARIO: X103.9’s Merry Meltdown to feature Korn, Stone Temple Pilots

Korn will perform at X103.9’s Merry Meltdown on Dec. 14. (Sebastien Paquet/Contributed Image)

The Merry Meltdown is back and San Bernardino’s X103.9 FM is bringing a huge show this year.

It will take place at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario on Saturday, Dec. 14 and the headliners are Korn and Stone Temple Pilots. The other performers include Sick Puppies, Big B and the winner of the X103.9 Localpalooza contest.

[mappress mapid=”161″]

Tickets go on sale Saturday, Oct. 5 at www.axs.com and at the Citizens Business Bank Arena box office. They are priced at $10.39 to $59.50, before fees. You can also win tickets by listening to the station and win your way into the VIP pre-show party. (FYI, to get the $10.39 tickets you HAVE to purchase them in person at the arena’s box office and they are only available to the first 500 people.)

Now, let’s talk about the bands–I think this is the biggest holiday show the Inland station has had yet.

If you haven’t been following the drama in the Stone Temple Pilots world, Scott Weiland is out (again) and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park is in and receiving high praise for his vocals. Bennington is no stranger to the Inland region, either. He stopped by X103.9’s San Bernardino studios earlier this year. Stone Temple Pilots, with Bennington on vocals, will release a new EP, “High Rise,” on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

You can listen to the new STP song, “Black Heart” below.

In the meantime, for the rock fans who have more of an affinity for nu-metal rather than grunge, Korn is also releasing a new album on Oct. 8, called “The Paradigm Shift.” Plus, the band has been reunited with guitarist Brian “Head” Welch. They’re also traveling back in time and making the Family Values Tour happen for one night only in Denver this weekend. Seriously, don’t we all miss 1999?

Sick Puppies are big fans of X103.9 and I think they’ve done every one of the station’s Christmas shows. Their new album, “Connect,” is their best yet. I had an interview with Shim Moore from Sick Puppies a while back when “Connect” was about to be released.

Big B will be back in the Inland area, plus the winner of the X103.9 Localpalooza competition. Last year, Dose of Adolescence won the title (after a really close competition).

If you’re a local band, you can enter for a chance to participate in the competition.