New Times Groove On Battle of the Bands: Your Guide, Part 1

The Miami New Times Groove On Battle Of The Bands would have sent the competition's winner to the stage of the Langerado Music Festival, but the communist business-hippies behind that event got scared and pulled the plug on the show last minute, so battle winners are flying to and staying in New York on the New Times' dime and playing a Live Nation event at the Blender Theater at Gramercy on a date to be determined. Four bands will fight this Saturday and two bands will advance to the finals, one chosen by popular vote (the crowd) and one chosen by the judges. Here's a  brief introduction to the bands you'll see this Saturday at Gulfstream Park at the Sport of Kings Room.

Afrobeta got their own Miami style electrical club music thing goin', with a lyrical pop sensibility and crossover appeal; it ain't your average underground. I picture their music playing at a panty store in the mall. Click here for their MySpace.

The Jacob Jeffries Band make Beatlesque storyteller music. The lyrics and song structure call attention to themselves, like a loudmouth kid that backs it up with talent. I picture their music playing on that blue screen at the movie theater before the commercials start. Click here for their MySpace.

Minimal got a sonically adventurous Latin-Rock-Miami based sound played with the confidence of live show veterans. Their sound shifts like an old Chevy with a new engine between genres song to song. I picture their music on the soundtrack to a Mexican independent film. Check out their MySpace.

Tristan And The Juice play Keg Rock party music and college oriented slow jams. Their shit is headnodworthy and integrates cellos and horns into their Sublime influenced recorded material. Click here for their MySpace.