Band contest “Nemiera blice ’27” second selection concert to feature Esme and a Ukrainian metal group

The second selection concert of “Nemiera blice ’27”, a contest for new and lesser-known music bands, will be held on Saturday, 31 October, at the “Atmoda” Culture House in Latvia. The contest is aimed at the local alternative and rock scene, and its organisers describe it as an event where different genres and fresh energy meet.

According to the organisers, the main goal is to open wider doors for young talents to bigger stages and festivals, and to bring together the local underground and independent music community. The contest gives participants a stage and a professional push forward.

Who will perform

One participant is Esme, an all-female alternative rock and indie punk trio from Riga formed last summer. The band recently opened for the veteran group Rūsa at the club Depo. Its songs deal with relationships, inner struggles and existence, combining heavy, melodic guitars with the lead singer's expressive voice.

Another is the thrash metal band Nuclear Conflict. It was founded in 2023 in Ternopil, Ukraine, by Yaroslav Yatsenko and Yevhenii Komarnitskyi, who were later joined by drummer David Mykulyk and bassist Alexey Undalov. The members now play and create music in Latvia.

The third contestant is Utopia, a grunge and alternative rock band founded in autumn 2024 by drummer Mārtiņš Volkovs and guitarist Alekss Vējiņš under the name “Aveņu Zapte”. The band has already played at several clubs and at the festival “Radikalizācija”.

Voting in the contest is left in the hands of the audience.