Scott Dudelson learned some valuable lessons while organizing
this past year’s Acoustic Live battle of the bands. Although
this past fall’s inaugural battle drew sizable crowds for
normally calm Sunday nights, Dudelson has continued to make
improvements on the event.
“For this year, we’ve tried to avoid important
Jewish holidays and World Series games,” Dudelson said,
referring to last fall’s scheduling conflicts.
Acoustic Live will still be spread out over eight Sundays from
Sept. 21 to Nov. 9, during which 42 artists will attempt to amaze
industry judges and capture first prize. Musicians Collin Elliot,
Kelda, John Digrazia, Grant Langston, Megan Slankard and J. Scott
Bergman kick off the tournament at the Westwood Brewing Company
tonight at 6 p.m.
A reaction to the overbearing obnoxiousness of other battles of
the bands, Acoustic Live prohibits the use of electric guitars,
amplifiers, effect pedals and drum kits. Electric bass guitars and
keyboards with no accompanying sounds or sequences are permitted.
These instrumentation guidelines not only challenge the artists,
but also present the audience with a whole new look at the
artists’ music. The acoustic sound also adds to the
laid-back, social atmosphere.
This year’s competition received 450 submissions, an
increase from the past year’s 230. Applicants were judged on
songwriting, performance, musicianship and originality. Dudelson
believes the quality of artists is higher because the selection
panel had a larger pool of applicants to choose from.
“There are always surprises,” Dudelson said.
“I’ve never heard of 25 or 26 of the artists that made
the cut. Last year’s winner Sara Bareilles came out of
nowhere. Acoustic Live was one of her first gigs.”
Of the 42 finalists from this past year’s battle of the
bands, 90 percent hailed from Los Angeles, validating the
event’s claim of showcasing artists from the local music
scene. Bareilles was a fifth-year communications student at UCLA.
Second-place finisher Jared Burton was a Bruin as well. This
year’s percentage of local artists dropped to 75 percent. If
further reductions were to happen, they would greatly diminish
Acoustic Live’s local-talent-show charm.
Battles of the bands are always can’t-miss opportunities
for artists to build a local following or get discovered by a
producer. Although it is Dudelson’s intention for artists to
gain major success, his top priority is to provide the UCLA
community with the type of shows he had always wanted in college. A
UCLA graduate with a classics degree, Dudelson thinks students
should have easy access to local music.
“I think for freshmen, Acoustic Live is the perfect
event,” Dudelson said. “It’s free and close to
campus. The shows start early so students under 21 can enter. The
crowd is very diverse and social. I’d really like this to
become a mini-festival in the UCLA area.”
For more information, visit www.acousticlive.net.