Harper’s Bar and Grille in Northridge is a place where sports fans can go to get their fix of athletic competition, but on Saturday, September 8, a battle of a different kind was beheld. That night, four young bands took their turns on stage in a contest to determine which set of musicians would have the honor and pleasure of opening the festivities at the 2007 All Access Magazine Awards Show. And after the metallic dust settled and a winner was clear, three more bands regaled the crowd, keeping the joint rocking until closing time.
An expert panel of judges was gathered to evaluate the four bands that competed for the show-opening slot. Taking tally of the talent were Sheena Metal, Danielle Egnew, Peter Lust, and John Green, each of whom brought sterling musical credentials to the judging table. Sheena is a longtime rock announcer and promoter, Danielle is an accomplished musician and actress, Peter Lust is executive producer at Piranha Music, and John is CEO for GreenStock Productions. Together, this team of evaluators rated all contestants on qualities including Stage Appearance, Showmanship, Musicianship, and Vocal Performance, and these assessments, combined with audience participation and feedback, served to determine which band would earn the opening gig at the AAM Awards Show.
The youngest performers were also the first to play, a precocious trio from L.A. called Acidic. Guitarist/vocalist Michael Gossard, backed by brothers Kyle and Christopher Lynch on drums and bass, produced a peppy, punky package of original tunes for a lively crowd that consisted of friends, family, and enthusiastic admirers from all over the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles. Although he shares a surname with grunger Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam (no reported relation, though), Michael’s approach showed why he’s more often referred to as a teen Billy Joe Armstrong for a new generation of rockers. He had attitude without being rude, rough edges without being sloppy, and an earnestness that
could only have come from the sincere heart of a young dreamer who has the talent and drive to bring his dreams alive. Diminutive bassist Christopher almost seemed smaller than his instrument, but by being seriously focused through the course of each song, he acquitted himself admirably, keeping his content clinker-free. His bro Kyle kept the beat strong, singing backup while hitting heavy on the cymbals, through a solid set of songs. Tunes including “Without a Trace,” “Black Box,” and “Stray” were belted out by Michael in time-honored punk fashion, with a bit of a British inflection. Acidic’s closing number, “Lost the Will,” ended with these appropriate words: “You’re out of time!” – as the band bowed to enthusiastic applause.
Next up was a Sun Valley quartet called Melville, consisting of guitarist-vocalists Fernando “Fernalgas” Ramirez and Eddie Garcia, bassist David “Rravid Oranges” Orantes, and drummer Alonso “Nazzo” Figueroa. Although some of Melville’s songs might momentarily lull the listener with a deceptive tinge of ska, overall these guys played hard, fast, and loud, drawing on metal, thrash, and punk traditions to drive home their songs. The band was playful yet workmanlike, churning through hefty jams such as “All the Time,” “Slump Buster,” and “Crop Circles,” which included midstream breaks to permit solos for both members of the rhythm section. David’s sweaty bass-playing was thumpingly theatrical, as he rolled and rumbled his strings in time with Alonso’s thunderous drums. Closing with “Sand Train,” the boys in Melville earned a brisk response from their local supporters.
Third on the roster was a Northridge-based fivesome called Benevolent Tomorrow, a band which also had clearly drawn a vocal cohort of fans to Harper’s for this night’s competition. Led by singer Ben Bensdoun, Benevolent Tomorrow stepped up and strutted a chain of crowd-pleasing ditties, which ranged from melodically musing to energetically crunchy. Lead guitarist Shivan layered slicing solos over Joseph Kaufmann’s 
capable rhythm guitar, supported by Vince Chavez on bass and Daniel Mazon behind the drumkit. Ben, sporting a curiously-striped, sock-like glove on one hand, proved to be a full-range performer, eager to draw the audience into each emotion-laden offering. Despite his youth, Ben’s voice had the scope and power of age and experience, through songs that included “Down the Rathole,” “Where I Belong,” and “Reclamation.” At one point, in a comic mid-song mosaic, Ben’s bandmates displayed their own musical range by seguing through snatches of “Back In Black,” “Walk This Way,” and “The Joker,” which not only garnered audience approval, but also the acknowledgment from panel-member Peter Lust that “these guys are so good already that they don’t really need to do covers!” The post-set applause indicated that the house at Harper’s agreed with Peter’s assessment.
Finally up was Forsaken Unity, a So-Cal band that began as a kind of “family affair,” tied together by bonds of blood and love of music. Standout guitarist Deakon shared the frontline with sultry singer Megan, backed by ethereal lady Lillith on percussion, mountain-man Mange on bass, and a sage presence called The Elder on rhythm guitar and keys. Busting loose with “Fit to Be Tied,” the band immediately displayed prowess on all fronts, with Deakon’s nimble leads ringing out keenly on the magnificent Minarik guitar he played. Megan’s lyric earnestness brought the crowd alive through “Rock Band” and “Lovestruck,” after which Deakon did his own lead-vocal turn for “Agony Symphony,” a definite airplay-worthy cut. Forsaken Unity took neat stabs at riff-rock, power-ballads, and progressive innovation, leaving the evaluating panel much to mull over in determining the victor in this musical competition.
In addition to the opening slot at the AAM Awards Show in November, there was a slew of glittering goodies on hand to be showered on all the competing bands. The youngsters in Acidic were blessed with a new Minarik Lotus guitar and a Coffin Case to carry it in, while Forsaken Unity received a Daisy 
Rocks Elite Violet Burst guitar plus a nylon case, along with a gift certificate to Guitar Center, courtesy of John Green and GreenStock Productions. Melville took home a black nylon soft guitar bag, and, thanks to Thomas Leblanc, a 6-hour studio recording certificate from Freedom Studios. Benevolent Tomorrow was given, by Piranha Music, a gift certificate from L.A. Music Store, while All Access Magazine gave the band and two full-page black-and-white ads. But for the band from Northridge, those items were just happy window-dressing extras, for in the end, after much intense deliberation by the expert evaluation panel, the act that was chosen to open for the 2007 All Access Magazine Music Awards Show on Saturday, November 3rd, 2007, was Benevolent Tomorrow. Cheers and yells and smiles ensued.
Yes, Benevolent Tomorrow took the top honor as scheduled opening band for the awards show, but certainly Acidic, Melville, and Forsaken Unity all came out winners as well, as each of the participating bands had taken their best shot, given their most practiced performances, presented their strongest songs, and all were warmly received and commended by both the panel and the crowd at Harper’s.
And still, the music wasn’t over yet, because, as a hearty musical nightcap, the house was additionally treated to sets from three more local bands. After the prizes were presented and the top award was announced, the ladies of Auburn Court took the stage. Auburn Court is a four-woman outfit from L.A. that consists of Erin Kost on lead vocals, Sarah Dawn on guitar, and a set of twins, Candi and Crystal Letterman, on bass and drums. These gals specialize in polished pop-rock melodies and harmonies, executed with sass and spice, as exemplified in “Farther Gone,” the song for which the band had just finished filming a video. Keeping listeners on their toes, from the highs to the lows, Auburn Court closed with a good-ol’ kind of party song, “Come Out,” which hit the spot with everyone who was on the spot that night.
A band called Rivet came next, a hard-charging L.A. quartet with a serious hard-rock attitude. When singer Eric said “Hit it,” his bandmates hit it hard indeed, with a good, gritty vibe from the mean streets. In songs such as “Dirty Dawg,” “Bring You Down,” and “Bad Boy,” Eric brought his own original vocal styling to each tooth-kicking tune, well-matched with the fiery flash of guitarist Matt, plus the pulsing power of bassist Luis and drummer Ronnie. Rivet worked out worthily on a tune called “Lady Jane,” which was definitely not the classic acoustic piece by the Rolling Stones, and later, with a nod to the ladies in Auburn Court, off came Eric’s shirt, to display a toned torso during the band’s last song, “The One” – providing, all in all, a “riveting” performance.
Last up for the evening was a busy bit of monkey-business from a crew of hooligans called The Chimpz, a bunch of boys who aren’t at all shy about claiming the Sweet San Fernando Valley as their own stomping grounds, as noted in a song of the same name (respectfully adapted from the similar-sounding Skynyrd cut about Alabama). Fronted by a frisky fellow named Art, the band also had Henry on lead guitar, Cuzzit on bass, Sean Topham on drums, and sideman Chuck Preston to contribute streetwise raps. From rock to rap to metal to punk, The Chimpz played all that and more, and furthermore, in burlesque tradition, a hairy-ape mascot made a showing, shambling about on the dance floor like a monkey gone mad, verily validating the band’s name. From a punkish piece called “Yeah” to an end-cut entitled “Realize,” The Chimpz didn’t monkey around about delivering the musical goods, providing a swinging conclusion to a night of good rocking at Harper’s Bar and Grille.
