Where to Find the Music

La Banda Elastica, the magazine of Latin alternative music, presents the second annual Battle of the Bands in Los Angeles, with the first round of competition taking place next Thursday. From hundreds of entries from unsigned acts, the editors have selected 30 for this year’s competition, billed as a search for Southern California’s best Latin alternative bands and musicians.

A panel of judges from the music industry will select three finalists, who will face off in November for first place. The winners will be announced at a gala event in December, where they will also be awarded their prizes.

The competition begins at 8:30 p.m. at sixteen-fifty (formerly Vinyl), 1650 Shrader Blvd., Hollywood. For further information contact Jenifer Cuevas at

jen nifer@labandaelastica.com or Marissa Lopez at

marissa@la bandaelastica.com or call (626) 337-8800.

*

The local Latin alternative scene can be hard to navigate. Here are some Web sites that provide a guide.

www.mundoroquero.com: Includes a thorough and easy-to-read calendar of concerts and events for the local scene, along with interviews and features on local and international bands. On the “Que Escuchas?” page, fans share what they’re listening to.

www.labandaelastica.com: This is the Web site of the glossy music magazine La Banda Elastica. Beautiful graphics and smart content, with a focus on top international bands sprinkled with features on the local scene.

www.alborde.com: Also linked to a local music publication, the bimonthly tabloid Al Borde. The calendar is fairly complete and up-to-date, but the display is not the best.

www.spanishrockla.com: This site primarily promotes shows its owners also produce. Other features are hit-and-miss.