| "It鈥檚 just amazing the talent in the Island" | | Ernie Mallet, event organiser |
Omerta emerged triumphant on Tuesday 25th July as the second Jersey Battle of the Bands began. Despite tough competition from 5 other bands the judges chose the group of 4 local students, who best describe their music as 鈥渕odern metal but with an old school thrash influence,鈥 as winners of the first heat of the competition.
 | | No Star Hotel |
The competition consists of 5 heats, with the winner of each heat competing in the final event on the 29th August in the hope that they'll be picked as the Island's best young band. With their victory in the first heat, Omerta are one step closer to this feat. Strong performances from False Assumption, Kustom Made, Skies of Deciet, Brackets on Fire and, as a last-minute addition, No Star Hotel impressed the audience in what was a difficult choice for the judges. Ernie Mallet, who organises the event together with Justin Vooles, said 鈥渋t鈥檚 just amazing the talent in the Island, people don鈥檛 realise 鈥 they鈥檙e always on about sport but they don鈥檛 realise the talent there is musically鈥. Believing that the event attracted the best crowd that they鈥檝e ever had, Omerta were confident that they would win the heat. Having entered last year and come third, they鈥檝e obviously learnt a great deal and improved the standard of their music. The band members are; Adam True (bass, vocals)
Kieran Heaney (lead guitar, backing vocals)
Jamie Hegarty (guitar)
Blair Allison (drums)听听
 | | Ernie Mallet (organiser) |
On hearing his band had won, Jamie described it as 鈥渁mazing, it鈥檚 great to get into the final鈥he crowd today was absolutely fantastic I couldn鈥檛 get over how crazy they went for us.鈥澨 Sam Falle, one of the judges, said that it was a difficult choice. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know about the other judges, but my own criteria for choosing the best band is the standard of their music, and whether the songs they play are their own.鈥
Despite large numbers of teenagers at the Chicago Rock Caf茅, security guards say there was no trouble and the youngsters should be praised for their good behaviour. Last year, the event attracted around 4,000 young people to the Chicago Rock Caf茅, and with tickets priced at 拢2 each, organisers hope the Caf茅 will raise more for charity this year.
BOB continues with heats every Tuesday from 5-8pm at the Chicago Rock Caf茅. Tickets, on the door, are 拢2 each.听 | 
