Joshua T. Bell

Battle of the Bands returns this year with similar faces, new talent and local bands.

Seven bands will perform for the SDSU student body: The Outlet, Enola Mai, Something Stereo, More than Enough, Foley, the Tinderbox and Paradise Fears.

The show is free for SDSU students and costs $5 for non-students. The bands begin at 7 p.m. in the Volstorff Ballroom April 27.

Returning to SDSU with the band founded on campus is Josh Weber, lead guitarist of the band The Outlet.

When explaining the band’s musical sound, Weber said it’s unique and hard to classify, but is a mix of metal and techno.

Chris Kappen, a sophomore journalism advertising major, is returning this year with the same great talent but a new band, Something Stereo.

“We’ve got a kind of an indie, rock feel,” Kappen said. “It’s kind of hard for me to explain. (It is) a lot like the White Stripes with Velvet Revolver.”

With Alex Carney on bass and vocals, Chris Garica on rhythm guitar, Ethan Weise on drums and percussion, and Kappen’s brother, Nick Kappen, on keys and lead vocals, Something Stereo is prepared for this year’s Battle of the Bands.

“We’re really excited to put on a better show than last year, and we just want to see everyone out there moving around,” Chris Kappen said.

Jada Joseph, the University Program Council concert coordinator, brought together the bands.

“We actually had a couple bands that came to me, but otherwise I used suggestions from some friends and found some people on MySpace, so (we got) a little bit of everything,” said Joseph.

Students have a chance to vote for the winner, which is the same as with prior years.

“We are going to actually change voting from last year,” Joseph said. “Instead of waiting for the end, we are going to open the vote, and are there to just vote for the one band they came to vote for.”

“There will be buckets for each of the bands, and you place your vote inside of them for who you want to win. We can hopefully have a better turnout than last year. “