Taco Bell's "Feed the Beat" band contest ends Sept. 30

Tacos, tunes and good times are ahead as Taco Bell announced today the fourth installment of Feed the Beat™. Over the past three years, Taco Bell® and its music program Feed the Beat, has rewarded 165 up-and-coming indie rock acts with free Fourthmeal – the late night meal between dinner and breakfast – to fuel bands on tour while also bringing bands opportunities to gain exposure for their music.

This year, Taco Bell will again conduct a nationwide search for 100 bands and provide them with one month’s supply of Fourthmeal ($500 in $5 Taco Bell Bucks per band). Bands interested should visit www.feedthebeat.com/feedthebeatsignup for more information. Taco Bell’s support for its Feed the Beat bands extends further than tacos while on tour – providing additional opportunities for bands through its influential sponsorships and marketing muscle. This year Taco Bell will bolster the awareness of Feed the Beat through an integrated partnership with MTV. Taco Bell is a prominent sponsor of multiple Viacom properties, including the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), MTV Movie Awards, VH1 Hip-Hop Honors and other music-oriented events.

“We love music and understand its importance to today’s youth,” said David Ovens, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp. “Supporting up and coming bands is important to our customers and to us. We know these bands are out touring, recording and trying to get that needed break. We want to help, whether it’s with free Fourthmeal late night while fueling up to make that next show, or partnering with MTV or ESPN on getting them valuable broadcast exposure.”

“The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards” will serve as a centerpiece for this year’s edition of Feed the Beat. The 2009 MTV VMAs will be held in New York City on Sunday, September 13, and show live at 9:00 p.m. EST. The band recruitment period, where Taco Bell puts out an open call for bands to sign up for Feed the Beat, will launch in conjunction with VMA weekend. The 2009 Feed the Beat band recruitment will start on Thursday, September 10, and continue until Wednesday, September 30.

Celebrating Taco Bell’s open call for new bands, The 2009 VMAs and Taco Bell present: A Concert with Fefe Dobson and Cobra Starship at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza on Friday, September 11, in New York City. Cobra Starship is a 2008 Feed the Beat band who is nominated for two VMAs including “Best Pop Video” and “Best Direction” this year. Taco Bell and MTV will bring this event to the masses via MTV News hits that will air on MTV throughout VMA weekend and help drive awareness for Taco Bell’s 2009 Feed the Beat program.

mtvU VJ hits will also highlight Feed the Beat alumnus band The White Tie Affair who was a co-headliner at the Taco Bell-sponsored 2009 mtvU VMA Tour at Six Flags locations in Chicago, Boston/Hartford, New York/Philadelphia, Baltimore/D.C., and Atlanta.

During the telecast of the VMAs, three special in-broadcast enhancements will build Taco Bell’s connection to music and awareness of their Feed the Beat program. A lower-third graphic will appear during performances by the official VMA House Band Wale including special collaborations with Feed the Beat alumnus 3OH!3 and The All-American Rejects.

"The guys really loved having free Taco Bell on the road. During the past year 3OH!3 went from a band needing free food to survive on the road to being nominated for a VMA, “ said 3OH!3's Manager Mike Kaminsky.

The MTV VMAs opportunity is not the first time Taco Bell has worked with a broadcast partner to integrate Feed the Beat music. Last Spring, winners of Taco Bell’s “Best of the Beat” competition, Hit the Lights, Thousand Foot Krutch and FireFlight, were featured in the Winter X-Games telecasts on ESPN and ABC. Taco Bell worked with ESPN to have Feed the Beat music, as well as footage of the bands performing live in Aspen at Winter X, incorporated into highlight packages that aired on ESPN and ABC including its signature SportsCenter. The packages were complete with band name and song identification, to broaden the band’s fan base and expose new listeners to great indie rock. Hit the Lights, Thousand Foot Krutch and FireFlight also became the first-ever bands to have a single cut and promoted by the brand.

Bands from across the country that are touring this fall can apply for Taco Bell’s free food tour support and the chance for further career support by filling out an online submission form by Wednesday, September 30, at www.feedthebeat.com/feedthebeatsignup. Feed the Beat bands will be announced on Wednesday, October 21, with the relaunch of www.feedthebeat.com. Eligible alternative or indie rock bands need to have a dedicated fan base, be on tour during the fall and have either a band Web page or MySpace page. For more information and a copy of the official rules, bands can check out www.feedthebeat.com for the entire band submission criteria and guidelines. There is no fee to enter the contest. Registration process begins September 10, 2009, at 12:00:01 p.m. (PT) and ends September 30, 2009, at 11:59:59 p.m. (PT). Band members must be 18 years or older to enter and located in the 50 United States or District of Columbia. Void where prohibited.

Feed the Beat alumni bands include some of the most exciting acts today, including Cobra Starship, 3OH!3, The Gaslight Anthem, Manchester Orchestra, Underoath, Blitzen Trapper, The Academy Is…, Girl Talk, A Place to Bury Strangers, Hit The Lights, Say Anything, Shadows Fall, Delta Spirit, The Devil Wears Prada, The White Tie Affair and more. Head to www.feedthebeat.com to see the full list of alumni bands.