Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
Live Wyya, winner of the the inaugural Jamaican leg of Global Battle of the Bands, held at Backyaad, Constant Spring Road, on Sunday, November 13. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
LIVE WYYA emerged eighth in the world finals of the Global Battle of the Bands Competition, held on Wednesday night.
The final showdown of 24 winning bands from their respective countries took place at the London Astoria. "It was like a very huge club, a lot of stage lights," said Carl Edwards, Live Wyya band member.
An Irish group, Kopek, took top spot.
Copeland Forbes, manager of the band, told The Gleaner that the crowd was in the Jamaicans' corner. "They were a hit with the people. From the minute they walked out and the people heard the word Jamaica, they were screaming, even the people from the other bands," Forbes said.
ONLY UNIFORMED GROUP
Live Wyya, dressed in their battle garb, was the only uniformed group in the competition. "It was great. I don't think the judges did it fairly because everyone thought we were the clear winners. A lot of people in the crowd were going for us before we even start and all when we done string up, the crowd still a scream," said Edwards.
He reported that even the winners felt that Live Wyya should have won the competition. "When we went down to the lobby all the bands were there and Kopek greeted us and said we should have won the competition. The winners told us that we were supposed to win," he said.
Live Wyya performed two original songs, Ghetto Law and Mr. Superior. "When we jump, the crowd jump. We don't know what the judges were looking for, but it was more rock-oriented. We were the only black band in the competition," Edwards said.
JUDGES
The judges were producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, Rolling Stones, Talking Heads); punk pioneer Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols; music journalist Rhodri Marsden (The Independent); singer/songwriter Kate Havnevik (Royksopp, Moby etc) and Mick Feldman, former head of A&R at Sony Europe.
"They were eighth with the judges but first with the audience," Forbes said.
"The experience was good. It was easy because everybody sounded the same way. We were very unique," Edwards said.
Live Wyya went to London after winning the Jamaican eliminations of Global Battle of the Bands, topping 16 other entrants at Backyaad, Constant Spring Road, in November.
