“When I shopped all the sponsors for Battle of the Bands, I only took into consideration companies that I believe in and that I stand behind,” says Ryan McLain, in an interview in front of the venue’s Ernie Ball kiosk. “I’ve found that M-Audio products just work. I have a FireWire 410 interface and I was able to plug it into my Mac, load the software, and instantly go—you don’t get that with every product anymore. I thought M-Audio would be a perfect partner for the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands program because it’s great to give kids an opportunity to win some M-Audio products and get into the home recording scene to create the perfect demo. M-Audio makes excellent products for that.”

McLain was equally enthusiastic when asked about the M-Audio Black Box, a new guitar piece that delivers amp modeling, beat-synced effects, and a drum machine—plus an audio interface for computer-based recording. “I think the Black Box is a great idea! It has some awesome sounds, some really cool effects, and a ton of features that give kids a great tool to add to their toolbox,” he says. “Up-and-coming artists can use it to record stuff on the fly and create ideas while on the road. It’s especially great for the bands on this tour, because they can throw it in their backpack or carrier—or use it on the bus and just whip out a guitar and develop some new ideas.”

Ernie Ball believes that venues like the Battle of the Bands play a key role in ensuring the future of rock music—now more than ever. With the growing popularity of DJs and a trend toward hiring 21-and-over acts in bars and clubs, live performance opportunities for young unsigned acts are quickly becoming scarce. Accordingly, participation in the Battle of the Bands has exploded over the nine years since its inception. In the beginning, only 1,200 bands auditioned for the contest; this year, over 10,000 bands signed up.

“The bands that are signed up with the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands are the future of music,” says McLain. “These bands are going to be playing the main stage at the Warped Tour in two or three years. The Battle of the Bands program gives these bands an opportunity to come out, play in front of a real market with a large audience and showcase what they're all about. We want to highlight what they've been working so hard to achieve.”

Many of the bands playing on the Local Heroes Mobile Stage during this year’s Warped Tour will be recording a custom preset on M-Audio’s Black Box, which will be available as a free download on the Black Box Tone Room (www.blackboxtoneroom.com). Contestants will also get the chance to play in front of industry executives at a major Hollywood venue this fall. If that’s not enough to make any unsigned band’s day, they also have the chance to win professional music gear worth thousands of dollars in a concurrent online promotion. For more information about the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, please visit http://battle.ernieball.com

Click here to check out M-Audio and Ernie Ball at the Warped Tour in Pomona, CA.