Chicago band wins spot on Motley Crue tour

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - On a recent night at the venerable Los Angeles music club the Whisky a Go Go, the Last Vegas walked away from a battle-of-the-bands contest with what most developing acts can only dream of: an opening slot on a major arena tour, a recording deal and a management contract.

As the winner of the first Guitar Center On-Stage: Your Chance to Make Rock History contest, held November 10 and judged by the members of Motley Crue, the Last Vegas will receive all that and more.

The Chicago-based rock outfit's prize includes an opening slot alongside Theory of a Deadman and Hinder on Motley Crue's upcoming 25-plus-city North American arena tour as well as a management contract with Tenth Street Entertainment and a recording deal with Eleven Seven Music.

In addition, the Last Vegas will get a $25,000 check from Guitar Center and $20,000 in new gear from Gibson Guitar. The band's not yet titled debut single is slated to stream on AOL Music November 24 and be available for download on iTunes the following day.

"Guitar Center and Motley Crue have given an opportunity to a band like us, who have been working hard and pursuing our dreams for a really long time to carry the torch and be the next rock 'n' roll sensation," said Last Vegas guitarist John Wator, whose band was one of six finalists (from nearly 8,000 contestants) that performed three-song sets during the contest.

The contest also plays into a cross-promotional campaign between Guitar Center and Motley Crue's tour, which begins February 2, 2009, at Cox Arena in San Diego and wraps March 18 at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine. The June release "Saints of Los Angeles," the first Motley Crue album recorded by the band's original members in more than a decade, has sold 236,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Guitar Center will provide the Last Vegas with tour support, which could be in the six-figure range, according to Hinz. "We're basically offsetting the costs," Guitar Center manager of event marketing and promotions Dustin Hinz said. "We're going to make sure they have everything they need while on tour, within reason."

Reuters/Billboard