Bands battle for supremacy

UPTV’s…UPTV’s Battle of the Bands Tonight, 9 p.m. David Lawrence Hall, room 120 Free

Four Pitt bands collide in musical combat tonight, trading guitar riffs at UPTV’s Battle of the Bands. The Meridians, My Prodi, M-Erika and the Taliband, and Dave Makler’s Band storm 120 David Lawrence at 9 p.m. to lay down their hottest tracks.

While The Meridians and Dave Makler’s Band channel classic rock influences, M-Erika performs hip-hop, and My Prodi delves into punk rock. What marks one skillful sonic-squad as the winner?

UPTV Channel 21 will judge contenders not by a measure of applause, but by tallying up the votes viewers cast once they’ve heard all four performances. After the competition, audience members can stick around for a reggae-infused, folk-rock song set by the New York City band TreeUnion, which played Schenley Quad in August.

Senior Alexandra Pursglove, public relations director for UPTV, helped coordinate the event.

“It’s giving the student bands an opportunity to perform for their friends free of charge, and it’s their chance to gain popularity and a prize if they win,” said Pursglove in a recent telephone interview.

The winning band receives $75 to the Guitar Center in Robinson, and audience members’ votes enter them into a raffle for a $50 gift certificate to The Mall at Robinson.

“I think it’s going to be a really good concert – it’s purely for the music,” said Pursglove.