Verizon Wireless and MySpace Announce 'Calling All Bands' Semifinalists

Verizon Wireless and MySpace Announce 'Calling All Bands' Semifinalists

Winner Will be the First Band to Launch Their Career on V CAST Music

BEDMINSTER, N.J. and AUSTIN, Texas, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, as the SXSW (South by Southwest) Music Conference kicks off in Austin, 15 bands are one step closer to having the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to be the first unsigned band to launch their career on a wireless phone. From more than 4,000 bands that entered from across all music genres, 15 were selected by Verizon Wireless and MySpace as the semifinalists in the "Calling All Bands" contest. The lucky winning band will have the opportunity to have their song, music video, ring tone and ring back tone released on Verizon Wireless -- the nation's leading wireless provider with 51.3 million customers.

Semifinalists in the "Calling All Bands" contest include:

Artist Song Title Genre Hometown URL
Aroarah "Unfold" Pop/ Sacramento,
Hard Rock CA www.myspace.com/aroarah

Berto "Shadows" Hip Hop/ Chicago,
Ramon Latin IL www.myspace.com/bertoramon

Code- "Saturn
breaker Life" Electronica Milwaukee,
WI www.myspace.com/codebreaker

Donora "She's Just Indie Dance Pittsburgh,
a Girl" Rock PA www.myspace.com/donora

F. "Nvr Trusted R & B/ Bronx,
ANTHONY U" (NTU) Soul NY www.myspace.com/thefam2

Hepburn "Frequencies Post Boston,
Set" Hardcore MA www.myspace.com/hepburnmusic

Hitch- "Summer Hip Hop Capitol Heights,
hiker Feeling" MD www.myspace.com/hikervision

Holiday "Crimson Acoustic Roswell,
Parade Red" Pop GA www.myspace.com/holidayparade

Jim Van "No Country Orlando,
Fleet Way" FL
and the
Reign www.myspace.com/jimvanfleet

Modico "Dead Decoy Indie Rock Forth Worth,
Days" TX www.myspace.com/modico

Mouse "Beneath Indie Rock Tampa,
Fire All" FL www.myspace.com/mousefire

Parlour "Lovers" Indie Dance Lexington,
Boys Rock KY www.myspace.com/parlourboysmusic

The "Inside of Emo/Post Madison,
Arrival This" Hardcore AL www.myspace.com/thearrival

Tim "Summer's Acoustic San Diego,
Corley End" Pop CA www.myspace.com/timcorley

Unset "The Wait Emo/ San Diego,
is Over" Metal CA www.myspace.com/unset

Until March 22, the MySpace community of more than 60 million users can listen to the semifinalists and vote online for their favorite band at www.myspace.com/callingallbands.* The top five entries to receive the most votes will become finalists; Verizon Wireless will select the winner from the finalists and the winner will be announced on MySpace on March 29.

Verizon Wireless will release the "Calling All Bands" winner's song on V CAST Music -- marking the first time an unsigned band will release its first single on a wireless phone. The winner will also collaborate with a MySpace Independent Filmmaker and Verizon Wireless to produce a music video that will be released on V CAST, plus a ring tone and ring back tone of the winning song that will be available for purchase by Verizon Wireless customers. MySpace helped Verizon Wireless introduce up and coming bands to the mobile world, further extending the music experience on customers' communication devices they use most every day -- their wireless phones.

V CAST Music

V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless lets customers play music on their wireless phones from well-known and independent artists -- the same device they have come to rely upon for entertainment, information and mobile communication. The V CAST Music store will contain a million songs by spring and lets customers browse, preview, download and play high-quality digital music from their phones or in the Verizon Wireless V CAST Music online store. V CAST Music songs cost $0.99 if purchased from the PC or $1.99 if purchased and downloaded over the air onto a V CAST Music phone.

V CAST Music runs on Verizon Wireless' broadband network, the most robust, award-winning wireless broadband network in the nation, available to 150 million people from coast to coast. Customers need a V CAST-enabled phone and a subscription to the V CAST VPak, which is $15.00 monthly access, added to their Verizon Wireless calling plan to access V CAST Music and music videos on their phones. Customers interested in managing their music from their PCs in the V CAST Music Online Store can do so without a V CAST VPak.

V CAST Music is available through Verizon Wireless' 2,000 Communications Stores and Circuit City locations and online at www.verizonwireless.com. For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/music.

* No purchase necessary. Void outside the U.S.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 51.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Jeffrey Nelson, Verizon Wireless, +1-908-306-4824,
Jeffrey.Nelson@VerizonWireless.com

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia
http://www.myspace.com/

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