Battle of the bands shows can be clichéd sometimes, but that was not the case last week. Six local acts battled it out at Uncle Joe’s in Jersey City on June 14 for the chance to win two free days of recording at Grisly Labs, a local music studio on Fifth Street in Jersey City.
Billed by promoter Amanda Beshears as the second of "two nights of ass-smackin’ rock ‘n’ roll," the night was the final round of the contest.
Out of the half-dozen groups, Jersey City’s Mexican Elvis emerged as the winners. The foursome hit the stage well after midnight, and they put on a frenetic 30-minute set of 10 signature songs. The set was punctuated by an energetic rendition of Journey’s "Any Way You Want It."
Lead singer Matt Wilcox told the crowd of about 50 that he was ordered to play it by an angry nun he recently met. Wilcox and the band, including Billy Ankle of The Ankles filling in on bass, won the event mainly by playing a style they have dubbed "Retard Rock." The pseudo-genre utilizes speed, charisma and an affinity for wearing safety helmets.
Mexican Elvis has been around since the mid-’90s. They tour the local scene with bands like The Ankles, Alphamales, Cecil, and Bastards of Melody. They play gigs together, fill in for one another and create the pistons that power the engine of the local underground scene in Jersey City.
"We’re going to put the two days of recording to good use," Wilcox said.
At Uncle’s
Talk anytime with Shaun Towey at Uncle Joe’s and he’ll most likely tell you the same thing: The substance of any good rock scene is the people that inhabit it and drive it forward toward notoriety. Towey is the booking manager at the intimate bar on First Street, and he helped put the battle of the bands gig together.
"It was a lot of fun, and we were very busy," Towey said. "We book bands that we like and try to do something interesting."
Through an unassuming door that has greeted drinkers for almost a century throughout many reincarnations, Uncle Joe’s is a venue where bands play close enough to shake hands with, and those looking to create a local rock scene in Jersey City are finding a warm reception. When asked to describe the formula for the venue’s newfound success, Towey said: "Most of the people who work here are a part of the music scene. We know how to treat bands well, and that’s why we have a really good vibe."
Uncle Joe’s is located at 154 First St. in Jersey City. For information call (201) 659-6999 or visit www.unclejoesbar.com.
For information on Mexican Elvis visit www.mexican-elvis.com. q