Shamal Battle of the Bands |
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Post Desert Rock 2005, founders of Dubai Desert Rock Festival, Lara and Jackie Teperdjian, decided it was long past the time to embrace the rock scene on their door step and unite the local bands directly with the 3rd DDR Festival. Still frustrated from the constraints imposed on the local rock scene for artists to perform in the UAE and beyond, CSM launched SHAMAL as a competition for all unsigned local rock bands to enter and potentially win the chance to have a video made of one of their songs through Music Nation, but most importantly to open the Dubai Desert Rock Festival 2006. The response from the local bands was immense and the demo’s were impressive. The business community supported this non profit/free entry event honourably, supplying all equipment needed from state of the art sound and lighting systems, to staging and media publicity. SHAMAL graced the cover of Time Out Dubai with the magazine dedicating 2 pages inside to the bands competing. The local scene had finally found its rightful stage. SHAMAL was held September 29th 2005 to a strong and dedicated audience of 1,000 rock fans. The battle lasted late into the evening, the competition was tough, but Mannikind triumphed as the winners.In March 2006, Mannikind shared the stage with some of the most loved and respected rock musicians in the world. SHAMAL like the Desert Rock Festival had made Middle Eastern history. The following year, the territory expanded for bands to enter, and the 8 finalists competed for the chance to win a 3 year World Wide Recording Contract with Creative Kingdom Records USA, to have their own Reality TV Show filmed of their build up before the Festival, and a Music Video made of one of their songs with Z Arabia as well as opening up for both days at DDRF 2007. Quite a prize to be had, quite a battle to witness! Free entrance
2005 / 2006 participants
Mannikind (winner)
2006 / 2007 participants
Junkyard Groove – India (winner)
2007 / 2008 participants
The Galeej Gurus – India (winner) |