FUZE received nearly 100 entries to this year's competition. Thanks to all the bands who submitted music!

feature band

Parade the Day, Winchester, VA

Louis Armstrong said, "what we play is life." That sums up Parade the Day. The band is not about writing mind-blowing solos and 10-minute songs. The band is about the feeling you get and take away from their songs. Two years ago they lived hundreds of miles apart. Having met randomly in almost every instance, they found each other, finally (it was pretty romantic), and realized they share the common goal of loving music -- and wanting others to love it the way they do. The band will soon be recording their second EP on Walking City Records, and then heading out to see what the country has to offer.

competing bands

The Season, Nashville, TN

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be what you’ve always been. Since The Season was conceived in 2002, the band has lived by that credo, striving for more than just everyday existence, and to bring their discoveries to life in the music they create. Shortly after graduating from Virginia Tech, The Season hopped a one-way train (actually a 17-foot U-Haul) to Nashville, Tennessee. In Music City, they joined forces with producer Chris Estes to record their first effort. Their self-titled debut includes some of the best songs they have written over the past few years.

Vinny Vegas, Baltimore, MD

In the failed attempts of musicians to change the world through song, many forget that music is expression in its purest form, and only through this expression can artists emulate, captivate, and manipulate the strongest of human emotions. Vinny Vegas arrives as a welcome hiatus from groups trying to take over the world with trite compositions and washed-out harmonies. They are artists who are determined to better themselves through the audible expression of their souls. After all they’ve learned of the world they live in, they no longer hear sound. They now hear only music.

Somber, Hegins, PA

Somber started in early 2005, when five musicians joined forces to put together one of the best, all-original rock bands to come out of Pennsylvania. The first song they released, "Destiny," won a contest on radio station 97.9 FM the X. The song was aired on national TV for a show on U.S. troops serving in Iraq. Their next song, "Downfall," was snatched up for the B-movie from Chris Crowley, Leaving Souls. The band soon put together the rest of the album, One Step Away from Nothing. Copies sold quickly, and soon Somber was playing the area's biggest clubs.

Dice Fly High, Asheville, NC

Dice Fly High invades your heart and head while your feet move to the melody and the groove. The music is at once engaging and addictive. They take a pop-song structure and pack it full of punk angst and dance grooves. This is rock 'n' roll as it was at its inception -- a pure expression of what it means to be human -- transparently honest, energizing, and approachable. A Dice Fly High show picks an audience up and carries them into a world where rock 'n' roll can still change the planet. Alive and interactive, Dice Fly High plays with the hearts they wear on their sleeves.

Ajar, Bethlehem, PA

There is room for a fresh, new sound in rock music, and Ajar is taking on that role. In a short time, this young, aspiring band has been making a name for itself in the underground music scene. Founded in 2003 in the seemingly quiet town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Ajar embraces the thought of growth and expression in new and sometimes unconventional ways. In fact, the band's lyrical content and unusual song plots push the idea that art has no boundaries. From promoting their material to performing live, these dedicated young musicians make their band a full-time reality.

*****

On April 28, 2007, these bands will vie for the crown at the Sportsplex in Winchester, VA.

Prizes include 12 hours of studio time (w/engineer) at C&C Studios in Sterling, VA.

Questions? Contact the FUZE team.