One of the cooler ideas that has graced Buffalo's music scene this year is Sugar City's Queen City Music Lottery. The concept was simple: willing participants (both musicians and non) threw their names into a hat, and randomly, bands were assembled, regardless of experience and instruments of choice. Upon forming, bands were asked to come up with a name and roughly 15-20 mins of music. Over the last couple months, a handful of acts have been teasing us with song samplings, which have included cuts of surf rock, dance punk, and garage.

After 10 weeks of practicing, the final products will make their debuts this evening at the Foundry (298 North Hampton Street). Doors for tonight's showcase open at 6pm, while music starts at 7pm. Cover is $5. Check out the event page here for the full schedule.

So what exactly is the Queen City Music Lottery? Rather than attempt to explain it myself, I'm going to steal from the facebook page.

In a nutshell, the Queen City Music Lottery is a showcase of "new" Buffalo area bands formed entirely at random! These "new" bands must complete a few simple but super important tasks to remain eligible to perform in a final Queen City Music Lottery Show case!

How does it work?
To participate you must come to one of the TWO SIGN UP meetings being held. At the meeting all names of the willing participants will be DRAWN at RANDOM and you will be formed into a BAND!

IMPORTANT-Bands ARE NOT chosen based on participants musical "skill" or what instruments they might play. ALL BANDS ARE FORMED AT RANDOM. For example: this means that any given band could consist of multiple members that primarily play guitar or maybe your band consists of people that normally play drums, or maybe no one in your band actual knows how to play anything and you are all complete strangers!!! The point is to met new people, play new instruments, and DO SOMETHING NEW AND FUN!

EVERYONE and ANYONE is welcome to participate!

For more details you MUST attend the following meeting (The first meeting already happened):


QUEEN CITY MUSIC LOTTERY
Sign Up Meeting # 2
Feb. 8th 2pm
SPIRAL SCRATCH RECORDS
291 Bryant Street
Buffalo, New York
14222

SOME INFO TO HELP AVOID CONFUSION:

The reason I did TWO MEETINGS:

REASON #1: I WAS BASICALLY OUT OF TOWN FOR 3 1/2 WEEKS AND DIDN'T GET THE PROMO ON THIS STARTED AS EARLY AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED.

REASON #2:I want to give as many people as possible a chance to participate in the project.

Here is rough idea of what will happen at each meeting: The rules of the project will be discussed. Then the names of willing participants will be collected. Based on the number of participants at each meeting, a number of bands will be created (no more than 5 people per band). We will take a little time out at the meeting, names will be collected, bands will be formed, and then the final announcement will be made at the meeting. This will be the same process at EACH MEETING, so you ONLY NEED to go to ONE MEETING and depending who attends each meeting, that is basically the pool from which the bands will be formed.

Attending both meets DOES NOT get you into two bands. Only one band per person.

Again, bands are formed basically at random and NOT based on what instrument you currently play.

There will be a few simple but important requirements that must be met to "complete" the project. Those "bands" that do not meet these specific deadlines for the requirements will be removed from the project and will not be allowed to participate in the final showcase gig.

What are the requirements? Come to a meeting and find out!

Again, this project is OPEN TO EVERYONE!


For more information email Matto at
peterwalkeerecords@gamil.com

www.peterwalkeerecords.com
http://www.buffalosugarcity.org/

And now, heres some music that's totally unrelated to anything.

Trying to start a band but don't know any other musicians? Or maybe you are sick of your current band mates and want a fresh start? Well, Sugar City & Peterwalkee Records have you covered. Behold, the first ever Queen City Music Lottery, giving musicians a chance to throw their name in the ring and form a completely new and original band. Musicians of all skill set are encouraged to sign up and be flexible as band mates are not chosen by instrument, meaning bands may have multiple drums sets, or all keyboards, etc. You get the idea.