Hometown newspaper -- Front page of the entertainment section
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(to view actual article go to www.galesburg.com/lifestyles/x317101087)
Galesburg's Mindefect play...(to view actual article go to www.galesburg.com/lifestyles/x317101087)
Galesburg's Mindefect playing in Vegas
Local band competing for national indie title
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Photos
Photos
JANE CARLSON/ The Register-Mail.com
Galesburg rock band Mindefect, from left, Ryan Canier, Kris Wingo, Brian Glasgow and Kirk “Free” Walters, is heading to Las Vegas this weekend to compete in Live Indie Rock Wars. Mindefect is one of 20 bands in the country who will play Friday night on a floating stage at Lake Las Vegas. The band was named a semi-finalist in the competition last month after submitting a demo of their original songs in January.
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By JANE CARLSON
The Register-Mail
Posted Apr 24, 2008 @ 11:06 AM
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GALESBURG — Galesburg rock band Mindefect has headed west.
Members Kirk “Free” Walters, Kris Wingo, Brian Glasgow and Ryan Canier are in Las Vegas this week for Live Indie Rock Wars, a national competition that pits unsigned rock musicians against each other to battle for a recording contract and studio time.
After playing local and regional shows for the past two years, Mindefect will reach a national audience Friday night when they play three of their original songs on a floating stage at Lake Las Vegas. The performance also will be broadcast live on the Web to thousands of people across the country tuning in to Live Indie Rock Wars.
This is the first year for the competition, sponsored by Black Mountain Records. More than 300 bands submitted original material to be judged by a panel of top A&R judges — and Mindefect made the cut. The band will be judged Friday on instrumental performance, stage presence, originality and fan reaction. If they make the final 10, they’ll play again Saturday for a shot at the indie title.
Since the band got together in May 2006, they’ve had a strong online presence. Singer Walters — who had been in earlier bands with Wingo and Glasgow — made a point of putting their music online. In addition to the band’s MySpace page, Walters listed the band at BestofBands.com.
The owner of that site later told Walters about Live Indie Rock Show and then offered to pay the $50 entry fee for them. That was in January. In mid-March, Walters got the news that Mindefect had been named semi-finalists.
“We never thought we had a chance,” Walters said.
The thrill of being named semi-finalists soon was countered by worries about travel costs. But within a matter of weeks, a benefit show was planned to get the band to Vegas. On April 11, Mindefect played at Billiards on Main to the largest crowd they’d ever had — ranging in age from 10 to 60 — to raise more than $2,000. Two other local bands, Crash and the Witness and Fierce Amateurs, also played for free to help out Mindefect.
The turnout for that show was a sign of things to come in terms of fans. As their local fan base was expanding due to Live Indie Rock Wars, a national audience was starting to listen, too. The band’s list of friends on MySpace has doubled in a month and they’ve been receiving e-mails and messages from fans across the country.
So even their run ends Friday, the band isn’t going to sweat it — the exposure and the experience will have been worth it.
Accompanying the band will be Eric Hanson of The Laser 92.7. Hanson, a huge supporter of local music both on and off the air, has been shooting a documentary about the band — much like the one he did about local band Fludder that premiered at last year’s Black Earth Film Festival.
Those who want to watch the performance online can do so at www.liveindierockwars.com — or come out to Budde’s Pizza and Spirits, 425 E. Main St. Other local musicians are hosting a “Fear and Loathing” Webcast party from 7 to 11 p.m., at which Mindefect’s performance will be broadcast live over the Internet.
On the Net:
Mindefect
Live Indie Rock Wars
Mindefect
The band: Kirk “Free” Walters, vocals; Brian Glasgow, guitar; Ryan Canier, bass; Kris Wingo, drums.
Influences: Alice in Chains, Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, King’s X, Rush, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and many others.
From the band’s MySpace page: The Mindefect combines elements that span decades of musical influences. Mindefect is everything from the arena to the garage, aggressive to progressive, funky and dirty-bluesy, sleazy, sensual and emotional (not emo), trashy and refined, energetic and jaded with hooks, headaches, harmonies, hairpin turns, hammering rhythm, and most importantly, soul without pretense.
If You Go ...
What: “Fear and Loathing” Web cast party to watch Mindefect’s Vegas performance
When/where: 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Budde’s Pizza & Spirits (restaurant side), 425 E. Main St.
Theme: Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters from Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”
MAYOR DECLARES MINDEFECT DAY
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Galesburg mayor declares Mindefect Day
Local band trying to get to New York
---------------------...Galesburg mayor declares Mindefect Day
Local band trying to get to New York
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By DAVID NOLAN
The Register-Mail
Posted Jul 09, 2008 @ 11:44 AM
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GALESBURG — Mayor Gary Smith has proclaimed today Mindefect Day, named after a local band trying to win a contest that will send them to New York.
Today is the last day to vote for a favorite band on rallyformusic.com, a Web site dedicated to discovering new talent and sharing it, and Mindefect is in the running to win.
Rallyformusic.com is sponsoring an online competition where bands register and upload their songs. The songs are available for anyone to listen to and people are allowed to cast a vote for their favorite band once a day. The top four bands will be given the opportunity to play in New York and compete for $15,000.
Mindefect, who most recently competed in Live Indie Rock Wars in Las Vegas, is currently in fourth place. Mayor Smith is hopeful that the declaration of Mindefect Day on the last day of voting will allow them to keep one of the top four positions.
“I think it’s great for the area, and I think it’s great for them to have done so well when they’re competing against bands from across the country,” Smith said.
Eric Hanson, host of FM 95 Mornings on The Laser, has been acting as a manager of sorts for Mindefect, and it was Hanson who talked to the mayor.
“I was at work promoting the band on my radio show, saying ‘Let’s send four local boys to the Big Apple to play.’ A co-worker jokingly suggested that I talk to the mayor and get him to make an announcement. ‘Why not?’ I figured. So I called him up, filled him in about the competition and the band and submitted a proclamation.”
Hanson also is working on a video documentary of the group’s success in Las Vegas.
“I’m still a little surprised he really did it. He actually registered and voted for Mindefect on the Web site while I was on the phone with him,” Hanson said.
When asked about the gesture, Smith’s reply was, “Anything that can help promote the city of Galesburg and the things that are being done by some of the younger people, I’m happy to do.”
Hanson will be giving a shout out to the band again this morning, as will The Laser, Galesburg’s local rock station. Yesterday Mindefect dropped from second to fourth place.
“We’re so close,” said Kirk “Free” Walters, lead singer for Mindefect. “I signed us up for this when I saw it, and out of hundreds of bands we have a real chance of going to New York to compete.”
To assist the band with their dream of competing in New York, the Mayor’s proclamation reads:
“I, Mayor Gary C Smith of Galesburg proclaim this day, Wednesday July 9th, 2008 as Mindefect Day. In hopes that all the citizens of Galesburg and the surrounding areas vote them to New York City by logging onto Rallyformusic.com. I myself just logged onto rallyformusic.com, submitted my vote and hopefully they’ll go from fourth to a solid first or second. It’s great for the community and great for these young kids who have worked so hard to polish their craft.”
“It’s do or die, now,” said Walters. “Every vote counts.”
supersonic
