BIGGEST LOCAL ALL-DAYER EVER???
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HEAVY METAL? ALTERNATIVE TUNEAGE? COME TO THE NOISEGATE!
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METAL TO THE MASSES SEMI-FINAL!

This will possibly be the biggest local all-dayer ever!

Follow the music, the drama and excitement of the final installment of the Metal Darbex.

Darbex Band Quest – FINAL at The Drayman in Bexleyheath. £3.00 for loyalty card holders – £4.00 for those with flyers – £5.00 for everyone else.

PLEASE NOTE: The Drayman is over 18s for Darbex Band Quest – Metal to the Masses.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at the Drayman on Monday? – Email us a request now!

RESULTS FOR SUNDAY 20 APRIL – Alternative

1ST – CITIZEN X

2ND – CELERY GENERALS

3RD – I WISH I WAS AN ASTRONAUT

RESULTS FOR MONDAY 21 APRIL – Metal to the Masses

1ST – LUNTARA

2ND – SEVEN YEAR KISMET

3RD – CIRCLE OF RAGE

RESULTS FOR TUESDAY 22 APRIL – Alternative

1ST – STRANGEDAY

2ND – HAZY SHADE

3RD – SOUTH SIDE HEROES

Sarah from the 103.7 TGR Sound TakeOver Show speaks to the winners of the heats at the Drayman and the Bull and Vic. Tune in to hear exclusive interviews and tracks from bands playing the Darbex Band Quest on 103.7FM and at www.tgrsound.co.uk.

Sponsors:

DINGO JACKS MUSIC STORE | ELEPHANT MUSIC | DOGHOUSE MUSIC | ROADRUNNER RECORDS UK | MEDIA SOURCING | VICTORY RECORDS | DEMOLITION RECORDS

Partners:

BLOODSTOCK-METAL TO THE MASSES | ORE NET SERVICES | JIGGA JAM STUDIOS

Support from:

TGR 103.7FM | NEWSSHOPPER | BEXLEY COUNCIL | KN MEGA PIX | RICHARD MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY

Alternative rockers SNISH make an appearance with local grungers ENDLESSUMMER. THE LUCKY STARS who play their third gig in three days are also on the bill. DJ LIFEGUARD BUNNY keeps the party going between bands.

Darbex Band Quest – Alternative at The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Monday. £2.00 for loyalty card holders – £3.00 for everyone else.

PLEASE NOTE: The Drayman is over 18s for Darbex Band Quest – Alternative.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at the Drayman on Sunday? – Email us a request now!

Ready to unleash their death metal blast on Bexleyheath once again are DENOUNCE. They meet gothic metallers LUNTARA who edged out Seven Year Kismet in one of the closet heats so far last week. ARXIS will go for power metal glory in an attempt to upset the two more local bands. DJ 69 keeps things metal crazy through this semi-final.

Without Remorse and Silent Descent are through to the final. Two more places are up for grabs! Follow the music, the drama and excitement at the Drayman every Monday to see who will grace the stage at the Bloodstock Open Air Festival in August.

Darbex Band Quest – Metal to the Masses at The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Monday. £2.00 for loyalty card holders – £3.00 for everyone else.

PLEASE NOTE: The Drayman is over 18s for Darbex Band Quest – Metal to the Masses.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at the Drayman on Monday? – Email us a request now!

The one and only MAD DOG enter the competition along with Erith based rockers NO LOVE REMAINS. JOANNES FAULT also play.

Darbex Band Quest – Alternative at the Bull and Vic every Tuesday.

£2.00 for loyalty card holders – £3.00 for everyone else.

WIN £20 bar tab at Bull n Vic each Tuesday if you are Loyalty Card Holder.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at the Bull n Vic? – Email us a request now!

The Noisegate at the The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Thursday.

ROOM 1 – ALTA-SCOPE will concentrate on the lighter and eclectic side of the alternative music spectrum.

ROOM 2 – RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL will side with the heavier, sleazier, gothy and more extreme side!!

2 Pool Tables

Projection Screens, Lighting, Effects!

7pm-Midnight –The whole night (Lower Floor) and upstairs (8pm-11.30pm)

BBQ and Patio (on the warm nights) or stating subject to weather

Drinks Promo's inc, Vodka and Red Bull Mix £3, Fosters, Becks, Stella, Strongbow and selected house Spirits with Mixer £2.50, and '2 for 1 cocktails £5/£6 + More!

Staffed Door!

Special Promotional Feature Nights, with free stuff and Brand New Music!

Over 18's ID Essential

No entry after 11pm

FREE entry for loyalty card holders – £1.00 for everyone else.

4 years and 9 months after starting the first Rock Night at the Kings Arms, we finally get a venue to give YOU what you wanted.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at The Noisegate? – Email us a request now!

Bloodstock Open Air returns in 2008 and is set to be the biggest yet. Three days full of pure metal and a little bit more at Catton Hall!

The line–up is far from complete but here are the bands confirmed so far:

• NIGHTWISH
• OPETH
• EVILE
• DIMMU BORGIR
• ICED EARTH
• HELLOWEEN
• OVERKILL
• SOILWORK
• AT THE GATES
• PRIMAL FEAR
• TYR
• AS I LAY DYING
• ELUVEITIE
• COMMUNIC
• MOONSORROW
• SWALLOW THE SUN
• KATAKLYSM
• CLOUDSCAPE
• CROWNING GLORY
• MOB RULES
• SAINT DEAMON
• ALESTORM
• PRO-JEKT
• KELTIC JIHAD

For more information on the festival visit the Bloodstock website.

I Wish I Was An Astronaut
Citizen X
Celery Generals

On a night where most of Bexleyheath seemed deserted Celery Generals were in their own little world. Mixing chaotic alternative rhythems with punk fury they delivered an interesting set with several slabs of melody. (6/10)

Citizen X brought a harsher side of punk to the table. Never treading too near to the shouty anarchy of oi punk, Citizen X had a more mature edge which showcased a solid half hour of acceptable songs. (6/10)

Credit must be given to I Wish I Was An Astronaut for standing in for one of the bands that had pulled out - and without a bass player as well! Their apparant enthusiasm could not disguise a set made up of messy songs delivered badly. Not their best night on stage. (5/10)

Review by Alan

LUNTARA
SEVEN YEAR KISMET
CIRCLE OF RAGE

Monday saw a big night in 'Darbex - Metal for the masses' as it was the last normal heat before the last semi-final.

Circle of Rage started proceedings with the most energetic set of the night. This heavy and raw sounding metalcore was the perfect way to begin the evening, with the crowd becoming interested almost immediately. The 'older' track was more hardcore orientated and in truth was their best song. The rest of the set sounded very similar, albeit containing some fine soloing. The nights activities had truly begun. (6.5/10)

Seven Year Kismet were a league above the proceeding band. The delivery was powerful and direct and the musicianship shone through. The best thing about the set though was the actual songs, each containing time-changes and melodies aplenty. The guitar solos were the best of the night and the vocals were on top form. Despite all of this the singer seemed to spend a large chunk of the night stairing at the ceiling and the drummer. Odd. (7.5/10)

Since putting in memorable performances 2-3 years back at Flamingo Park (Sidcup) and the Zebra Bar (Maidstone) and providing the Shards compilation cd with one of its best tracks in the form of 'Mindrape' Luntara have drifted away. With little activity other than the odd recording appearing on their website they seemed happy to take a back seat while plenty of new bands took their place. When you take this into consideration there would have appeared little chance of them making an impression but their ever-committed support helped inspire them to their best set in two years. The 30 minute set time seemed to push them into a more solid and straight-forward approach. The keyboards took centre stage and helped push the songs into territories other local bands would never tread. (7/10)

Review by Alan

Despite their young age JOB FOR A COWBOY are leaders of a new rapidly growing extreme metal scene, the new x-treme! We are happy to welcome their frontman Jonny as columnist for www.thenewx-treme.com/. He will write his column at regular intervals. Keep checking www.thenewx-treme.com/ for updates! His first essay that is about changes in metal scene and their effects on young bands is now online at www.thenewx-treme.com/! Click Job for Jonny and read!

www.thenewx-treme.com/

Calling all Bands in South East! Darbex is still open! Massive £7000+ of prizes and huge exposure. Nothing to lose! read more....

With bands that have not paid their deposits and other that cannot play the dates left we have just a few places left on the Darbex Band Quest 'Elevation of Creation' competition and related activity (Scratch the surface compilation CD and Altascope Magazine).

If you are interested now.. please read over the details at this link and ask any questions through darbex@rockmatrix.co.uk, we are looking to cover from late March onwards 5 slots in Dartford and 5 more slots in bexleyheath. All we need is the form here completed and a £25 deposit (not a fee) to assure you of a place. The METAL section is closed so we are looking for Indie/Alt/Rock bands as well as acoustic acts to play in darbex between March 18 and May 7th (Heats).

The Prize fund is worth over £7000 now and we are looking to award 33 prizes for the 99 bands we are looking to take part, min prize value is £99 as it stands and the max £1000 CASH!! Prize list here.

We will launch - this week the scratch the surface CD - Your chance to have a professionally released CD with over 1000 copies bieng distributed throughout the South East and Industry from May onwards in 2008.

Further more.....We are putting out 3 magazines to maximise your chance of exposure for you band and activity, this is being worked on now!

Dont miss this once in a bands lifetime chance to utilise this promotional vehicle and get yourselves into the local and national papers and many event listings all handled by rock matrix through out this project.

What ya got to lose?

Adam

The Rock Matrix

If you want to help make this a massive success come to any of the 3 events this Sunday / Monday / Tuesday.

4 alternative bands needed – we need more bands to 'confirm' their intent to play.

We are doing this:

- 1x A Battle of the bands with a twist featuring show case events!
- 2x 20 track cds called 'scratch the surface' one heavy one light!
- 3x Magazine called Altascope, featuring all acts taking part and more!

We have now got 99 bands interested with 82 confirmed, so we are now taking on a reserve list and back up list in case any bands that have committed drop out or decide not to take part for what ever reason.

Therefore we ask 3 things of thee!

1. If you want to have a chance in taking part complete this application form
2. If you want to help make this a massive success come to any of the 3 launch events this Sunday 3rd/Monday 4th/Tuesday 5th – events are here: www.eventmatrix.co.uk/events/
3. Or just wish us well, this really could elevate bands form our local scene to something much more promising. Help by adding graphics to your site etc or reposting bulletins. Thanks for anything in advance.

We are deep in talks with festivals and promoters about getting our bands playing for them. We have £7000 of prizes already committed and 1 in 3 bands will win something.

There will be:

- 100 bands playing by the end of this comp
- 2 x 20 track cds launched to support the quest
- 3 Magazines called Altascope covering ALL local music activity
- Around 400 playing musicians and 100 professional people involved in making this work
- 45 events with over 6000 people attending
- 20,000 flyers hand to hand
- 500 posters
- 33 prizes worth over £7500
- Media, Radio, Record label support and coverage
- And a bucket loads of bloody great nights in good venues!

All further enquiries and questions will be answered only through darbex@rockmatrix.co.uk

PS. We would love to know if you are in a new band or have left a band we thought you may be in.

For FULL DETAILS see the full details blog.

FACEBOOK:

Facebook group - The Drayman - Noisegate! The New Night With All Alt+Rock+Metal

Facebook group - Rock Matrix

Facebook group - Darbex Band Quest

Facebook group - Rock Matrix Loyalty Card Holder

Facebook group - Rock Night Live

Facebook group - Metal Mondays

Facebook group - Bloodstock

MYSPACE:

www.myspace.com/rockmatrix

www.myspace.com/rockmatrixpromotions