By: Kristyl Cahill
(Talented punk band wins competition)
(FSOP) False Sense of Pride, a local punk garage band from Surrey with a rapidly expanding fan base, won Stardust roller skating rink's annual Battle of the Bands contest Sept. 10th
They competed against five other bands and won the chance to compete in the finals to be held later this fall. If they win, they'll take home $500.
Guitar and lead vocalist Nat Boyd, 19, attributes his band's success in the contest to their original sound of punk infused with Ska and Reggae. Gavin Boyd, 16, Nat's younger brother is the drummer, and newsest addition Shawn, 17, plays bass guitar.
FSOP has written more than a dozen songs, the most popular being "Kik" and "Cousin Cleo". Both were performed during the contest and received an enthusiastic response from the crowd.
"It's very important to be original and to try not to let other bands influence you. Your audience knows when you are stealing someone elses sound and style," said Nat.
Similar contests are how popular Canadian bands such as Gob and Nickleback started their careers before gaining popularity in the music industry.
False Sense of Pride started in 2002 as a hobby for the trio when looking for something to do after school that combined their love of music and desire to have their voices heard. They started playing at parties, school dances and entered as many local contests as possible, in order to gain exposure and start developing a solid fan base.
FSOP believes that playing even the smallest venues is key to "making it" in the industry.
"We are trying to get as big as possible, one step at a time," stated Nat.
Altough the band is relatively new, they have come across many opportunites to showcase their talent. Nat recalls one of the highlights of the bands career as being the opportunity to play the pre-game show at a Vancouver Raven's lacrosse game, a battle of the bands contest at General Motor's place, a large venue usually reserved for the industry's biggest stars.
Located across from the Surrey Central Skytrain terminal, an area well known for it's high level of drug activity and loitering youth, Stardust provides a safe haven of entertainment that is drug and alcohol free.
Stardust's Battle of the Bands competitions are continuing and provides local musicians with the opportunity to perform for a live audience. The crowd is a mix of people of all ages.
Tickets are eight dollars at the door, and the event usually runs from 7p.m. to midnight. The next Battle of the Bands contest will be held on Oct. 2.