2 weeks ago, we told you about the fundraising concert that the Belizean rock band, Ascenthium held at the Civic with other rock bands, Verge of Umbra and Jet Jaguar. They were trying to raise the money to cover cost for a trip to Panama. That's where all the bands from Central America are competing in the International Primaries for the Wacken Open Air Festival.
As we told you, Wacken Open Air is considered the biggest heavy metal festival in the world. Rock and heavy metal bands from all different countries converge annually on the German village of Wacken to compete for bragging rights as the best of the best.
Today Ascenthium departed for Panama with funds raised from the Civic Center Concert, along with donations from the Belizean public. We met them at the airport, while they were checking in. They told us that they are hoping to put off a career defining performance this weekend.
Guido Gonzalez - Drummer, Ascenthium
"We're gonna be boarding. We're gonna be arriving there a couple days before, pre-prepping, dealing with everything we have to deal with, settling in. And we have a hell of a show in for them. If they haven't come prepared, all we have to say is good luck to them."
Reporter
"What do you all need to achieve in order to qualify to the next round."
Guido Gonzalez
"We need to win all of Central America. Pretty much, we need to go up against the best band that Guatemala has to produce, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. Nicaragua wasn't able to compete this year."
"What we have to do is pretty much beat the rest of the Central American Countries, to be able to represent all of Central America in Wacken Open Air in Germany in August."
Reporter
"And that Wacken Open air, that's the finals, you would consider that the finals, right?"
Guido Gonzalez
"Yes, that's the finals. That's the worldwide finals."
Dina Halsall - Basist, Ascenthium
"We've been working very hard in the jam room, honing our skills, doing what we need to do to prepare musically. But, a big part of it is a mental game, knowing that you put everything that you can out, and you want to see what's gonna happen in return."
"The team that we're taking of 10 people, including our publicist, equipment manager, and the Belizean judge. It is a big group of us that required a lot of financing. It came up to about $15,000 to transport everybody, to accommodate and to allow us to participate in the competition, and we're about a thousand dollars short. So, we booked our tickets, booked our hotel, and so any contribution that anybody available to help the band with would go towards a couple more pieces of equipment, to produce the best show that we could."
Guido Gonzalez - Drummer, Ascenthium
"Wish us luck. We're going with everything. We intend to make you guys proud. We hope we can."
Ascenthium hits the stage in Panama on Saturday, April 27th.
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