Bright Light Social Hour Win ACL's Sound and Jury Contest

Posted on Oct 5th 2009 10:00AM by Mike Ayers
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One of the more interesting aspects of Austin City Limits is that for the months leading up to the weekend, Dell sponsors a virtual battle of the bands contest. The top five acts competed live on the Wednesday before the big weekend, and the winner gets thrown into the spotlight immediately with a festival performance slot. Such was the case for this year's winner, the Bright Light Social Hour, a young, up-and-coming band who actually live in Austin and blend glam-dance with a classic-rock, blues vibe. It's quite an interesting and potent combination.

You'd think that this big-time gig would be a bit nerve-wracking, but the band concedes it was the actual battle that was really the stressful event. "I peed 11 times," drummer Joseph Miragole tells Spinner. "The point is, we were nervous," bassist Jack O'Brien adds. "Stuff depended on it; whether or not we'd be here. Being here was just like a victory lap."

Formed a little over two years ago, the Bright Light Social Hour already have a handful of originals -- self-released so far -- and from their onstage vantage point, conceded that 'End of Roses' and a new song they recorded a few weeks ago, 'Detroit,' sounded best.

Alongside the band's gifted slot at the festival, they won $1500, which they are saving for gas money. Their first tour outside of Texas kicks off this fall. Look for them as they head through the southwest and up the West Coast.