New Colors, New Sounds – Black Chameleon at Local Heroes
Every year, the Graz-based radio station Soundportal hosts the Local Heroes Band Contest, one of the biggest opportunities for up-and-coming bands in the city. The event takes place at PPC Graz, which for us was already a huge step up in terms of stage size and atmosphere compared to anything we had played before.
When we heard about the contest, our thought was simple: why not give it a try? After our experience at the Gleisdorf band contest, we already knew the concept – sell tickets, and the more you sell, the later in the night you get to play. Once again, our fans pulled through, and we were lucky to get a strong slot with more potential listeners.
The rules were tight: 15 minutes of playtime and 10 minutes of changeover. For a band like Black Chameleon, with songs on the longer side, that meant some serious trimming. But in the end, there was only one motto: 15 minutes of pure energy – tear the place down. For the preliminary round, we went with Get Heavy, Call of the Void, and The Dreamdancer.
And oh boy – the feeling of playing on a bigger stage is something else entirely. The bass shaking your clothes, the kick drum pounding through your feet, and the guitars crashing over you like a wall of sound. There’s really no better way to describe it than: absolutely incredible. Sure, 10 minutes of changeover wasn’t ideal, but that’s part of a contest and we made it work.
After the last band played, the audience got to vote – and the result blew us away. With more than a quarter of all votes, we became the clear audience favorite. Once again, our fans proved they’re the best. And with that, it was official: we were heading to the finals.
Setlist Group Stage
Get Heavy
Call of the Void
The Dreamdancer
For the big night, we prepared down to the last detail. Rehearsing, polishing, and even working in the jury’s feedback from the prelims. We also decided to take a risk: at the final show, we premiered two brand new songs – Survival Denied and Galactic Purge, alongside The Dreamdancer. Playing songs live for the very first time at a contest could have gone either way, but we trusted ourselves and our music.
And while not everything went exactly according to plan, the result speaks for itself: we proudly took 2nd place in the finals. A sensational achievement, another unforgettable evening, and above all, a great opportunity to connect with like-minded musicians in the Graz scene.
Setlist Finale
Survival Denied
Galactic Purge
The Dreamdancer
We are many voices, many colors, but one family. Thank you, Black Chameleon Family, for carrying us forward.
Until the next transformation – your Black Chameleon.
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