The Tribune

NOELLE NICOLLS

Tribune Features Editor

nnicolls@tribunemedia.net

Local bands let loose at the Botanical Gardens on Saturday bringing everything from reggae, alternative/rock 'n roll to Goombay and rake n' scrape at the first Global Battle of the Bands, Bahamas competition.

Stinkin Wayz, the band founded by entertainer, writer and producer Kirkland "KB" Bodie, walked away with the title "Best Band in the Bahamas", after edging out Ira Storr and the Spank Band in the final round of competition by half a point.

KB was a familiar face on stage, and he brought his customary antics - mounting speakers and scaling metal columns - but he rocked the competition with an uncharacteristic sound. The band coined its mixture of rock n' roll and traditional Bahamian music, "rock and scrape".

The hybrid genre is in fact a return to KB's early roots. His first band was an alternative/rock band called the Ego Tripp Band, whose first recording was a funky rock song called "Party".

The theatrics of KB were matched by those of lead guitarist Colyn McDonald, who used contortionist skills to maneuver his electric guitar, while darting around the stage.

The pair have experience playing together on the local and international music circuit, but their union on Stinkin Wayz was a first.

After all, the band was created for the competition, said KB. This was almost providential, he said, because for some time he had been working on a plan for a new band that would reunite him with his first love, rock music.

"Each of us knew each other, and I knew they were excellent musicians who could handle the job even though we did not have a lot of time," said lead vocalist KB.

Stinkin Wayz performed two main songs, "Let's Party" and "Love Hangover", through several rounds of competition.

International judge Seretse Small, chairman of the Jamaican GBOB franchise, said Stinkin Wayz maintained its "Bahamian integrity", while it also had "strong universal themes that a global audience could buy into and commit to and become loyal to as a fan base". He said that was important, considering the overall objective of the GBOB franchise is "to find the band that has the greatest international and commercial potential".

With their big win in hand, Stinkin Wayz will now head to Bucharest, Romania in June to represent the Bahamas against winning bands from over 30 countries in a competition that will determine the "Best Band in the World". Stinkin Wayz will also vie for a band development package worth $100,000 and a chance to go on a world tour.

"We will now try to put together a game plan for the global competition. We had a game plan for this, but now we need a game plan for Romania. We did not just approach this from a musical point. I want you to believe that psychologically we approached this. That is what we did tonight, and it was a lot of work," said KB.