Zippo Encore Battle of the Bands Winners Announced
Dubai 1st April 2013: Zippo and Makshoof Music have today announced the finalists of their Battle of the Bands competition. From the enormous pool of regional musical talent that entered, Nikotin, Bear & The Happy, and Naser Mestarihi were crowned as the three winners.
Presented by Zippo in partnership with Makshoof Music, the contest invited musicians from the UAE, Qatar and KSA to enter and show the world how they rock. The UAE winner, Nikotin, hit the Dubai underground music scene in early 2009, showcasing their talent on stage supporting acts such Nickelback and Maximo Park and are looking for their big break in the industry.
From Qatar, Naser Mestarihi and his band emerged as the top talent, regularly rocking the local music scene in Doha. Naser Mestarihi is a Qatari born Jordanian-Pakistani guitarist based in Doha who has been part of the music scene since the age of 15 but as yet is unsigned.
Finally, from KSA, Bear & The Happy was the clear winner. The Saudi Arabian rock band is based in Riyadh and consists of five members who all attend the same university. They are currently on the lookout for a vocalist.
The panel of judges, who had the challenging task of selecting the three winning bands, comprised of David Warfel, Global Marketing Director of Zippo, Paul Kelly, Co-Founder of Makshoof Music and James Piecowye, presenter of Dubai Eye’s Nightline.
David Warfel of Zippo said, “We are delighted to partner with Makshoof Music bring the Zippo Encore global music platform to the Middle East. I’m thoroughly impressed by the caliber of the talent in this Battle of the Bands competition and extend my congratulations to the three winners.”
Paul Kelly, Co-Founder and Creative Director of triplew.me’s Makshoof Music commented: “I had a pretty good idea of the existing talent, but I have to say I was blown away by some of the amazing music we got to hear. It’s inspiring to see these musicians’ passion for their music.”
James Piecowye, presenter of Dubai Eye’s Nightline, the city’s most interactive radio programme which regularly hosts local bands added: “The amount of talent has just been fantastic. Rock music has taken a back seat for the past few years when compared to other genres of music so it’s great to see it come back with a vengeance!”
Zippo is giving each of the three winning bands the unique opportunity to create a music video and a ‘Rockumentary’ which they can share with their fans and a wider audience on www.triplew.me/zippo. Each band will then give the public a chance to vote for their final prize, with options including time in a recording studio, a photo shoot or making a music video.
About the Winners
Nikotin – UAE winner
Nikotin hit the Dubai underground music scene full throttle in early 2009. They frequented press and TV regularly following their win at MTV Arabia & Puma ‘Battle of the bands’ and the UAE-based ‘Dred Rock festival awards’. In 2010, Nikotin hit the big stage supporting acts such Nickelback and Maximo Park. This was the same year that saw the band bag the Silver award for ·Best Rock Act’ at the Asian Voize Independent Music Awards [AVIMA] held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2011, Nikotin decided to pace their live gigs and concentrate on their first full-length since posting their first track on Myspace in 2009. The band entered the studio with Bosnian producer Elvis Garagic and has just completed writing and recording their debut album, Panodrama.
Website: http://www.nikotinmusic.com/home.cfm
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Nikotinmusic
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nikotinmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikotinmusic
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nikotinmusic
Naser Mestarihi – Qatar winner
Naser Mestarihi is a Qatari born Jordanian-Pakistani guitarist based in Doha, Qatar who has been on the Qatari music scene since the age of 15. Naser is a self-taught multi instrumentalist (guitars, bass guitars, vocals and drums) singer-songwriter who is the first rock musician to ever officially release a rock album out of Qatar.
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NaserMestarihi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nasermestarihi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nasermestarihi
lnstagram: http://instagram.com/nasermestarihi/
Bear & The Happy – KSA winner
Bear & The Happy is a Saudi Arabian band that plays Instrumental music. The Saudi Arabian rock band members all attend the same university together and play instrumental music. The band formed in 2011 and is currently on the lookout for a vocalist. Based in Riyadh, the group consists of five members: Abdulrahman Al Khawashki on bass; lead guitarist Mohammad Hakeem; Salahaldeen Al Azhari as rhythm guitarist; and Ahmad Al Anbar on drums.
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bearandthehappy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BearAndTheHappy
About Zippo
Zippo markets in more than 160 countries and is one of the most recognized brands in the world. Based in Bradford, PA, USA, Zippo has produced over 500 million Windproof Lighters, each backed by an unparalleled lifetime guarantee. Zippo’s diverse product line includes lighter accessories; butane candle lighters; watches, fragrance, and lifestyle accessories for men; and a robust line of heat and flame products for outdoor enthusiasts. Zippo also owns W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Company, based in Bradford, PA, USA. For more information visit www.zippo.com or like us at facebook.com/zippo.
About TripleW.me:
TripleW.me is a Pan Arab online content platform that allows people from around the region to share and enjoy music, film and photography. The first site of its kind in the region, TripleW.me provides an innovative, regional alternative to the mainstream mass market scene. Founded by Paul Kelly and partners in Dubai in 2010, the company was born out of a desire to showcase the Middle East’s creativity to the world. TripleW.me provides talented individuals in the Middle East with a dedicated platform to create and promote their own content. Members can share their opinions and engage constructively with like-minded individuals, providing the forum for a regional perspective on international artists and home-grown talent. For more information visit www.triplew.me
About Makshoof:
Makshoof Music is part of TripleW.me and is designed to help raise the profile of Middle Eastern music talent. Fans are given a direct line of communication to their favourite regional bands and an opportunity to offer their input into the creative process of making new music. For musicians, Makshoof Music offers the opportunity, tools and guidance to be discovered and make it to the next level of the music industry. For more information visit www.triplew.me/makshoof-music.
About Nightline:
Nightline is aired on weeknights from 8PM-10PM on Dubai Eye 103.8, Dubai’s only English language talk radio channel. James discusses the burning issues of the moment with the UAE, always sharing thought-provoking ideas and concerns through meaningful discussion.
About the judging panel:
David Warfel: the Global Marketing Director of Zippo has proudly positioned Zippo as a serious supporter of the music scene in the US and globally. Under the Zippo Encore banner, the brand is present in over 200 live music events every year. Those who rock, roll with Zippo!
Paul Kelly: is the Creative Director & Co-Founder of Makshoof Music. He has become something of an expert on the local music scene and appears on Dubai Eye’s Nightline for Wind Down Wednesday with TripleW to uncover local artists and their music.
James Piecowye: a university professor of Communications turned radio personality, the presenter of Dubai Eye’s Nightline, the most interactive show in the UAE, is originally Canadian. He uses both the show and his blog to promote local musical talent as well as engaging the wider UAE audience in discussing the hot topics of the day. James dubs himself “The One and Only Idea Rock Star”.
