Quantana set sights on festival slot

A local metal band is looking for the support of the Shetland public after entering a competition to win a slot at a major British rock festival.

Quantana – comprised of Dwayne Davies, Stuart Donald, Harley Gear, James Johnson and Lewis Murray – have put their name in the hat for Red Bull’s Download Festival competition.

The top 100 bands with the greatest amount of online votes and hits come 5pm on Monday 21st April will be whittled down by judges. Eight acts will ultimately get to perform on the same bill as the likes of Aerosmith and Linkin Park at Donington’s Download Festival in June.

Quantana, who released their debut EP Harmonising With The Devil at their first gig in October last year, recorded a video (below) of their song Love is Lost at a recent gig at Voe’s Pierhead Bar to use in their entry.

Despite entering the competition days after many other acts, the quintet, who count the likes of Killswitch Engage and Pantera as influences, have already broken into the top 30.

Guitarist, Donald said: “It would be incredible if we were able to play at Download, but we will only be able to if this great support we’ve been receiving keeps up the whole week.

“Playing at Download would be the opportunity of a lifetime and we hope the Shetland community can help us get there.”

The top 15 acts picked by judges from the hundred bands meanwhile will head to the Red Bull Studios in London to record a song and receive industry advice, with eight of them eventually going on to the Download Festival.

Quantana can be buoyed by the success of one of last year’s festival slot winners, Aberdeen’s Semperfi, who received strong support from Shetland’s metalheads after playing in the isles previously.

Chris Cope