In what promises to be an oldies version of Unearthed, triple j’s older sibling ABC702 has copied the Unearthed concept for its Exhumed band competition. Not for the would-bes. Not for the has-beens. This comp is for the never-weres, who will be playing off in a grand final later this month.
Unsigned, unrecorded, unrepresented, undiscovered, uncharted, unknown, more or less unwanted bands will have their five minutes of fame at 702 ABC Sydney’s Exhumed – The Grand Final at the Rooty Hill RSL on Thursday 26 April.
Brainchild of 702 ABC Sydney’s Afternoons presenter James Valentine, this competition appeals to bands that have long held dreams bubbling away just below the surface, with the hope of being rescued, resuscitated and thrust onto the grand stage.
“Across Australia, there are thousands of people who take their music seriously. It’s their thing. It’s their passion. They’ve been playing their whole life. During the day they’re chemists, teachers, truck drivers, accountants, business people, plumbers. But at night they learn songs by the Rolling Stones, The Stooges or Radiohead.”
The station has had hundreds of entries, with ten bands chosen to perform at Rooty Hill RSL, with all finalist bands being recorded for ABC Music’s exclusive release of a CD entitled Exhumed…Live at Rooty Hill.
“The winning band, judged by an esteemed panel of judges, will also have the opportunity to perform live on the 702 ABC Sydney Afternoons program, record a song in an ABC recording studio, perform in a support gig for a well-known Australian band and perform live on Richard Glover’s 702 ABC Sydney TGIF program,” says Valentine (pictured).
To enter the competition, the bands were required to have two or more members and all members needed to be adult, have a day job and not involved in music.
“This is not for young hot things on the way up. No professionals, no music teachers, no wedding bands, no reformed 80’s chartstoppers. This is for those who’ve kept the dream alive in the garage and the rumpus room. Ping pong tables pushed aside every Thursday night, Davo and Matty come around, plug in the Gibson and sound pretty sweet. Their last gig was Davo’s fiftieth, the work Christmas party, the school fundraiser.
“This is the Countdown generation. They sat every Sunday night and watched Skyhooks, Sherbet, INXS and the Angels do their thing. They wanted to do it too,” Valentine has told radioinfo.
Limited tickets to Exhumed LIVE from Rooty Hill RSL on 26 April will be available free to subscribers of 702’s fortnightly e-newsletter that will be sent out the week of 16 April. People can also enjoy the concert by streaming it live from 702’s website.