Six local bands will duke it out today in the Peace Quad for a chance to receive national music industry exposure.

The third Annual Battle of the Bands features JackRabbit Slim, Glasgow, Nuit, ESP, Saaraba and Down in the Park coming to musical blows in 20-minute sets.

Music industry professionals and musicians from the area will decide the winner of Loyola’s contest. The champion will win an opening slot for Blue October at the Howlin’ Wolf in April.

The winner also makes it to the National Battle of the Bands, with the opportunity to win $500 and garner beaucoup exposure to music professionals.

More than 23 local bands submitted press kits to Loyola’s chapter of the Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association. Focus groups then whittled the 23 down to the six finalists.

Georgia McBride, co-chair of the production department of M.E.I.S.A., said, “We had three different focus groups that listened to all of the submissions and we took an average of the scores from the three nights.”

* JACKRABBIT SLIM

Greg Heaney, music business senior, plays guitar for JackRabbit Slim. Paul Viers, keyboardist and music business freshman, Ricky Darmanin, drummer and international business sophomore, Brian Kesley, bassist and music business freshman, Ryan Sweeney, singer/music business freshman, and Heaney have been together since Oct. 2003. They play a mix of different sounds like funk, rock, jazz and Latin.

“You can’t really describe our sound very well,” Heaney said. “You just have to hear it.”

And while getting heard by a national audience of music professionals from all over the country is a hard prize to beat, JackRabbit Slim is also looking forward to breaking into the New Orleans music scene.

“We would just really like to become a part of the musical community down here,” Heaney said.

Heaney credits JackRabbit Slim’s appeal to the talent and dedication of its members.

“We’re not about the image of being in a band,” he said. “We’re doing this for the sake of the music.” JackRabbit Slim performs at 4 p.m.

* GLASGOW

Glasgow follows up with the 4:30 p.m. set, and though its oldest member is Jack Craft, music business freshman, (the other three are high school students) this youthful band’s age belies its experience.

You may have caught Glasgow playing at Tipitina’s, The Mermaid Lounge or the Hi-ho Lounge with groups like Silent Cinema. Their sound is one with a limited voice in New Orleans: rock.

“We have a bit of classic rock more mixed with post rock,” drummer William Smith said.

Lead guitarist Andrew Hartsock says that Glasgow’s sound features complicated song structure, sometimes with keyboards and ambient noise thrown in.

“We’re probably one of the most original bands out there,” Hartsock said. “I don’t think you could pigeonhole us.”

* NUIT

Brad Benoit, music business and classical voice sophomore, and his band Nuit have been together for a year and a half. Although they come from different musical backgrounds, Benoit says that they work together very well. John Toomey, music business sophomore, and high school seniors Steve Stokes and Scott Williams round out Nuit.

A variety of songs featuring acoustic and electric guitars as well as piano lend itself to a positive atmosphere at Nuit’s shows.

“We generally tend to have shows that people really, really enjoy because they’re upbeat and fun,” Benoit said. “We always keep the energy up.”

Recently, Nuit has played shows at places like the Neutral Ground coffeehouse and the Parish at the House of Blues. Benoit also gains exposure through playing solo shows around the city.

“Locally, I’m just hoping for more people to get to know our music and get interested in coming to more of our shows,” Benoit said.

Nuit goes onstage at 5 p.m.

* ESP

The newest band on the scene for the Battle of the Bands is ESP. They have only been together for two months.

Loyola alumnus Mike Ciardi is featured on drums, Mitch Paone rocks the Fender Rhodes, David Bodie is on sax, and Greg Smith, music education junior, has been sitting in for Mark Schlakman on bass.

ESP feels a heavy influence of jazz and puts hip-hop and funk beats over jazz to create an inventive sound.

The band is looking to play together more, and Ciardi thinks that performing at the Battle of the Bands is a great way to get that experience.

“Any chance we get to play is a good time,” Ciardi said. Check out ESP’s set at 5:30 p.m.

* SAARABA

Another funky group, Saaraba, plays at 6 p.m. Lead singer Danny Marks attributes Saaraba’s influences to reggae, roots reggae and funk.

“We’ve got the New Orleans funk thing going on,” Marks said. “We try to take a real original approach to it.”

A sax and a trombone help to spice up traditional instruments like guitar, bass and drums.

Like all of the other bands, Saaraba is looking for exposure to the music industry, but is getting exposure all over town at music venues like Café Brasil (every Thursday), Tipitina’s and the Howlin’ Wolf.

“We opened recently for Jeff Coffin at the Howlin’ Wolf,” Marks said. “He’s Bela Fleck’s sax player.”

Saaraba has played with New Orleans bands like The Latelys, Zion Trinity and Brotherhood of Groove.

* DOWN IN THE PARK

Down in the Park of Lafayette, La., will close up the battle, playing the 6:30 p.m. set. The band has opened for notable national acts like 12 Stones, Lit, Trust Company and Earshot in Lafayette and Baton Rouge but they have never played in New Orleans.

“We’re just really looking forward to being able to get exposed to the New Orleans circuit,” guitarist Coplin Lebleu said.

Lebleu admits that Down in the Park’s sound is difficult to describe.

“I’ve heard some people use the terms ‘melodo-core’ and ’emo-core,’ which I think kind of suit our sound,” Lebleu said.

There’s a strong ’80s’ vibe that snakes through Down in the Park’s music, but it is hard to pinpoint.

“We all love early electronical ’80s music,” Lebleu said.

“None of our stuff really sounds like that, but it kind of comes through with song structures and melodies.”

BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2004: LOYOLA PEACE QUAD

* JackRabbit Slim 4 p.m.

* Glasgow 4:30 p.m.

* Nuit 5 p.m.

* ESP 5:30 p.m.

* Saaraba 6 p.m.

* Down in the Park 6:30 p.m.

JackRabbit Slim performs at the Maple Leaf, members include Paul Viers, Ricky Darmanin, Brian Kesley, Ryan Sweeney, and Greg Heaney. (Greg Heaney)