Raging Geisha

Maguires was alive and buzzing with anticipation as the Bodog Music $1Million Dollar Battle of the Bands continued to heat up in sunny Florida. The show was off to a great start with BREAKING TIDES taking stage and warming up the anxious crowd with original material and a well thought out set.

They were followed by THREADS OF DISLOYALTY, a power trio from Bonita Springs who rocked the stage and got a rousing response from the audience who appreciated the effort.

Third up was CRIMSON SON, a top contender with excellent guitar work and Metallica-like vocals. The crowd came for rock, and that's what they got in all the gravel voiced beauty that made them so cool.

By this time Maguires was really starting to pack in the music-hungry fans. RAGING GEISHA was fourth up and with their En Vogue-inspired female lead vocals they won the crowd over in an instant.

By 9pm it was time to get heavy. The next two bands offered up a much harder blend rock and hardcore; SEASONS LOST was a crowd favorite and they were followed by the vocally charged SONIC DESTRUCTION who would not be outdone.

Right when things seemed to be winding down, PSYCHO TOILETS took stage and rocked out while a man busted out with an easel and canvas and spastically painted during the bands set which included a Rage Against the Machine cover. A very creative idea that no doubt earned them favor among fan votes.

Last up was BIG BANG RADIO. By this time the crowd had dwindled a bit, but they still put on a stellar performance with excellent musicianship and versatile lead vocals.

When the smoke cleared the two winners were announced. We would like to congratulate RAGING GEISHA for placing second and our top qualifier SEASONS LOST who simply stole the show and proved they are ready to take their act to the next level, IN THE TRENCHES.

WILD CARD WINNERS are still being considered and will be announced following the tally of crowd voting for the fan favorite. Please visit www.bodogmusic.com for wildcard winners and check your band profiles to see if you advance as a wildcard.

Thanks for all of your efforts in making this such a successful event and keep watching for updates and event information in the coming weeks.

Your partner in truly independent music,
bodogMUSIC

By: Mike Sokoloff - Bodog Music

Raging Geisha's frontwoman, Erica Sommer, is all about manipulating contrasts. There's the inherent contradiction of her band's name. There's the music, which incorporates equal parts crunching guitar rock and Timbaland-style beats and samples. Then there's her persona: sweet but fiery, sometimes rightfully PO'ed. See, Sommer is a black woman in rock and roll, a person who defies the stereotypes with which major-label execs can easily deal. Try to name one such woman to break through the mainstream in the past 20 years (so forget that easy Tina Turner answer). Maybe Neneh Cherry, in the Eighties and Nineties? More recently, whatever happened to, say, Kina or Fefe Dobson?

The phrase "too bad" would be a criminal understatement. But until the music industry catches up with a society in which gender, race, and artistic genre boundaries are increasingly becoming irrelevant, the enlightened among us can enjoy Raging Geisha on intimate turf. Onstage Sommer is gorgeous and commanding. The group produces pop-oriented bangers that could easily straddle formats on modern radio. Saturday's performance likely will be the group's last for the summer, says Sommer. The band will be shooting a music video, playing shows in Philly and New York, and heading back to the lab to record some more tracks. - Arielle Castillo - Miami New Times

With the energy of rock, attitude of the streets and presentation of an intelligently composed pop act, Raging Geisha dish it up for an eager following in South Florida. The name conjures up images of a woman traditionally trained to be sexy and complacent, but instead takes that energy and rebels, ultimately taking control of her life and destiny. Having already played across the country, this group has found great success in pushing their unique beats.

The band members (Erica Sommer, lead vocals; Dave Siegel, bass; Jacin Nagao, guitar; Omar Tavarez, drums) have known each other for six years since meeting at the University of Miami. Dave and Erica reconnected a few years later in the music world, when they were both working on projects for Miami soundman Emilio Estefan. On his own, Dave has written and co-produced songs for artists like Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson and Enrique Iglesias. Most recently, he co-wrote T.I.'s number 1 pop song on the Billboard charts, "Whatever You Like". Along with the other members of Raging Geisha, the hits keep on coming.

Referring to the group's front woman, Erica, Dave said, "Something that we hope people everywhere in general take away from our shows is the image of a confident, sexy woman -- not to mention one who is African-American -- leading a band of guys, channeling the energy of the band and the songs, not only inspiring everyone but hopefully even projecting a positive role model for women and women of color." Erica, who finds influence in powerful rock singers like Steven Tyler, Gwen Stefani and Shirley Manson, serves as the perfect vocalist for a band that inspiration in the likes of Rihanna and Beyonce with the rock energy of rockers like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Van Halen.

Their song "Shoot" sounds like something you'd hear at any club on the Beach. It brings that perfect blend of party beats and sexy Miami flair. They recently released a ballad called "The Way That He Wants Me" on adult contemporary radio, which garnered a great response from listeners. For those who want even more, their album Memoirs of a Rager is available on iTunes. - Rayme Samuels - Miami Herald