The Marquee Theatre packed a full house on Wednesday night for a Red Bull Sound Clash, a unique concert experience.
“It’s not just a live show, and it’s not a battle of the bands, it’s totally different,” said Monica Glass, culture marketing manager for Red Bull North America, the show’s sponsor. “It’s a friendly competition meets collaboration.”
Originating in Europe, the home base for the Red Bull Corporation, Sound Clash is an experimental set of live music with two bands from complete different genres face off on opposite ends of the venue to go round for round in showcasing their musical talents.
“No matter where you’re at, you have the best seat in the house,” Glass said.
With very few days of rehearsal before the event, the night showcased four rounds in which bands had to blend what they did have time to rehearse with a bit of improvisation to show off their skills.
Rounds included the “Takeover,” in which one band had to play half of one of their own songs, with the other band completing it, lyrics and all, in their own genre.
“[Sound Clash] brings two people from opposite genres and then asks them to collaborate,” Glass said. “We actually have a decibel meter to measure the noise and approval of the crowd.”
Wednesday night’s performance featured Phoenix-based indie rock band Dear and the Headlights and California-based The Dirty Heads, a band that mixes rock, hip-hop and reggae.
“We’ve never done anything like this. [The audience] is going to be really stoked,” said Dustin Bushnell, guitarist and vocalist for The Dirty Heads, before the start of the show. “It’s definitely cool to be able to play s--t we’re not used to.”
Dear and the Headlights Ian Metzger said he was excited about the uniqueness of the show.
“It’s cool ‘cause our songs force those guys to sing — on the other side of it, there’s no way in hell I am going to rap,” he said.
More than 700 fans came out for each band.
Matt Levine, a supply chain management senior, came to support The Dirty Heads.
“I don’t even know what to expect, but I do expect The Dirty Heads to win,” he said.
Levine’s expectations came true, as The Dirty Heads took the lead in all four rounds by crowd applause, winning this friendly competition of stylistic hegemony.
Although The Dirty Heads led the clash, it was by a mere one decibel in each round — a gracious reminder that there was not a true battle and that the support was widespread.
“I don’t think there’s a real winner or loser,” said Dear and the Headlights guitarist PJ Waxman. “It’s fun just playing styles we’ve never played before.”
Reach the reporter at bryan.brougham@asu.edu.
