Have you voted yet for your favorite Battle of the Bands 2011 contestants??? The deadline is March 5th, and everyone is welcome to check out all 20 of our talented teen bands and performers before casting a vote. The top 5 bands with the most votes will be invited to play at an exciting concert finale at Almaden Branch Library & Community Center on March 19th. You're all invited to attend. I've had the pleasure of attending our past three Battle of the Bands finales, and they have all featured amazing young musicians. Don't miss out on this year's concert as we rock the library once again!

When I was a teen, I played in an all-girl punk band with my friends called Lily Liver. We weren't very good, but it was such a blast to practice out in the garage or play at our friends' parties. Check out these young adult books about other teens that rock, or learn how you can rock, too. Just be sure to give the library a shout-out on your album's liner notes. :)

Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning

Molly Montgomery discovers the high price of fame when her band, The Hormones, is joined by dangerous Dean and his friend T, and they become famous.

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes

A group of high school students thrown together in detention form a band to play at a school talent show and end up competing against a wildly popular local rock band.

Punk Rock Etiquette: The Ultimate How-to Guide for Punk, Underground, DIY, and Indie Bands by Travis Nichols

Don't let the name fool you...This is an awesome how-to guide for any type of band just starting out! Learn how to find bandmates, make your own shirts, find places to play, etc.

Rock Star Superstar by Blake Nelson

When Pete, a talented bass player, moves from playing in the high school jazz band to playing in a popular rock group, he finds the experience exhilarating even as his new fame jeopardizes his relationship with girlfriend Margaret.

The Rough Guide to Hip-Hop by Peter Shapiro

The definitive guide to hip-hop, from Grandmaster Flash to Outkast and beyond. Learn from the masters before you hit the mic.

6X : The Uncensored Confessions by Nina Malkin

Four teens on the fast track to pop-rock superstardom reveal the unfiltered truth about the glamorous, backstabbing world of sudden celebrity.

5) You have the chance to win $250! What can you buy with $250?? Tons of things like: 500 Jack-in-the-Box tacos, 41 movies at Camera Cinemas, 50 Starbucks’ Tall Mocha Frappuccino…. or more important things like new guitar strings, sound equipment, or awesome matching fedoras. 

4) Increase your fanbase!  Did you know that over 7 million bodies come through our doors every year?  That’s a lot of Facebook friends.

3) Get a jump start on your rockstar career early!  The average age of the members of The Rolling Stones is about 66; that means at least 50 years of rock for your band!

2) Make rock concerts in libraries a good thing!  San José Public Libraries are not places where you can only wear rubber soled shoes and have the potential of being shushed.  They are thriving, active, and fun community hotspots.  Do your part to keep the library that way!

1) Make your parents/family/friends proud.  Yeah, I know; that sounds kind of lame, but it’s true.   Performing in front of live audiences is really nerve wrecking,  but the end result is the pride you and your loved ones will feel when they see you on stage. 

So sign up NOW for our annual Battle of the Bands competition!

Teens: Are you part of a band? Do you have a friend who is? Then participate in the Battle of the Bands contest! The Evergreen Branch Library will be having a recording session on Saturday, February 12th   from   12pm to 2pm. This is your chance to come in and perform one of your best songs. Your performance will  be recorded and then uploaded to YouTube, where people can watch your performance, compare it with other bands and then vote for the best band.

The top FIVE finalists will compete for prizes at a live publicized concert on Saturday, March 19, to be held at Almaden Branch Library and Community Center.

More information can be found here: Battle of the Bands

Calling all teen musicians ages 12-18!

Submissions for the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands are due Wednesday, February 19.

If you are in a band and would like to enter the Battle of the Bands, visit the below links for more information and submit a video soon!

Or, if you have friends who are in a band, spread the word and let them know about the contest.

For more information see:

• San José Public Library presents Battle of the Bands
• Facebook page for Battle of the Bands: Has links to photographs and videos from previous years’ contests

Also, Santa Teresa Branch Library is opening its Community Room for any bands who need to record their song on Tuesday, February 8 from 3-6 PM.

Good luck to all who enter!

 Rock the Library! Enter San José Public Library’s “Battle of the Bands”

Celebrate Teen Tech Week 2011,"Mix & Mash @ your library"

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Are you a teen (age 12 – 18) that performs with your own band? Ready to move out of the garage and onto a wider stage? Enter San José Public Library’s online “Battle of the Bands,” in celebration of Teen Tech Week 2011 (March 6-12).

“Wait,” you say. “Online? How do I do that?” It’s simple. Have your parents or a friend grab that camcorder and record your best performance. Post the video online (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Pure Volume, etc.). Submit your entry by sending an email to sjplbattleofthebands@gmail.com that contains a link to your music online. Be sure to include the following information:

• The name of the band/performer, and names and ages of all members
• A brief description of the band, to be used on the contest webpage
• A name, phone number, and email where the contestants can be reached

Submit entry by February 19.  (Please note: No personal information will be posted online.)

This contest is open to all musical genres, but no obscene or offensive lyrics are allowed. Inappropriate lyrics or behavior will result in disqualification. Participants may enter together as a group, or as a solo performer. Solo performers must play an accompanying instrument. No karaoke permitted. Those interested in singing are encouraged to watch for announcements of May’s “San José Teen Talent” competition.

Contestants who do not yet have music online may participate in one of the three recording sessions taking place in February. Performers may bring their gear and perform a song, which will be recorded by library staff and then uploaded, online, as a video. Recording sessions are scheduled at the following San José locations:

• Sat. Feb. 5, 4 p.m. - West Valley Branch Library, 1243 San Tomas Aquino Rd., (408) 244-4747
• Tues. Feb. 8, 3 p.m.- Santa Teresa Branch Library, 290 International Circle, (408) 808-3068
• Sat. Feb. 12. 2 p.m. - Rose Garden Branch Library, 1580 Naglee Ave., (408) 808-3070

What’s next? Your entry will be posted on the official “SJPL Battle of the Bands” site www.sjpl.org/battleofthebands. Music lovers will be invited to visit the page between February 23 and March 5 to listen in and cast their votes for their favorites. The top five finalists who receive the most online votes will be announced March 8.

The top five finalists from the online voting contest must be available to play the live final concert on Saturday, March 19 at the Almaden Branch Library (6445 Camden Ave, San Jose). Each band will have up to 20 minutes to perform their set.  A panel of judges will evaluate the performers on their musical ability and stage presence. The decision of the judges will be final.

First, second and third place winners will receive the following prizes:

• First Place: $250
• Second Place: $150
• Third Place: $50

For more information, including full contest rules, stop by your neighborhood branch of the San José Public Library, or go online to www.sjpl.org/battleofthebands.

For additional Teen Tech Week activities, such as video game days, contests, and crafts, go online to www.sjpl.org/teens.

About Teen Tech Week

Teen Tech Week is a national initiative sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association and is aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other concerned adults. The purpose of the initiative is to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of technologies, especially those that are offered through libraries such as DVDs, databases, audio books, and videogames. Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use libraries' non-print resources for education and recreation, and to recognize that librarians are qualified, trusted professionals in the field of information technology.

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Rock the Library!!!

In honor of Teen Tech Week,  March 4-10, 2012, it’s time to “Geek Out @ your library”

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