A MALVERN band has beaten off 300 other acts to make it to the final six of a national music competition.
Nuns of the Tundra have reached the shortlist of Firestone’s prestigious Battle of the Bands grassroots competition and the four-piece is now urging the public to get voting.
Once voting closes next Thursday, three chosen acts will then go on to play in the overall grand final on December 14 in Birmingham.
The coveted Firestone trophy, more than £2,000 worth of Orange Amplification gear and studio time worth £1,500 is well in reach for the Malvern band.
Troy Tittley (guitar and vocals), Arran Davies (guitar and vocals), Jim Smith (bass) and Melos Moody (drums) have been together for three years but encountered their most stressful moment as a group on the way to be interviewed by Firestone in Camden, as part of the process.
Troy said: “The car broke down and we were a bit stranded in the middle of the capital.
“Thankfully we made it and we’re still on track. If you likened the band to a car, then we’d say we’re a Mustang mingled with a Skoda.”
The band boasts a strong online presence with more than 40,000 views of their work, which has been likened to Queens of the Stone Age with a slightly psychedelic twist.
Gigs at the Marrs Bar in Worcester and venues in Bristol are highlight moments for Nuns of the Tundra, who want to go a step further by winning Battle of the Bands and making that dream breakthrough.
“We are at that awkward intermediate stage I guess,” said Jim.
“We have moved on from pubs and clubs and want to get to a place where we can fill bigger venues and reach a wider audience.”
Orange Amplification and returning partner Professional Music Technology (PMT) judged the entries and agreed on six shortlisted acts, with Nuns of the Tundra’s edgy, earthy sound striking a chord.
Daniel Darby, artist relations and marketing at Orange, said: “Nuns of the Tundra are very authentic and their levels of self-belief were really noticeable.
“We were looking for acts who were doing things a bit differently and Nuns of the Tundra certainly fit that category.”
Firestone’s brand manager Stuart Attfield added: “There is a diverse mix of talent with different styles coming to the fore.
“Nuns of the Tundra are one of six strong acts and we wish them all the very best of luck as they aim to make the final.”
To vote for Nuns of the Tundra, visit http://battleofthebands.firestone.eu.
