Multimedia Battle Of The Bands 2003 Devil to Pay - Toreador (:30) 83 Feet - Welcome Mat, Part 2 (:30) Malcontents - Now (:30) Rhymefest - 'Bout To Get Ugly (:30) Samsell - Almost Over (:30) 7 Degrees From Center - Antanna (:30) Sonus Ventorium - Tune Into Me (:30) Audio can be heard using RealPlayer   Battle of the Bands • When: 8:30 p.m. today. • Where: The Vogue, 6259 N. College Ave. • Tickets: $5. For more information, visit www.benchmark records.com.

More than 100 groups have tried their luck in a weekly Battle of the Bands series that began March 19 at the Patio.

Just seven acts remain in the running for a grand prize of $10,000. To date, they've advanced through two rounds of competition. The event culminates tonight, when finalists will vie for votes at the Vogue, 6259 N. College Ave.

At the finals, a complex voting formula will determine the winner.

Each audience member will select first, second and third favorites on a paper ballot. These votes will be compiled for 50 percent of the final tally. The other 50 percent will come from 11 judges and a 12th weighted ballot -- which will replicate the top three audience picks.

Previous editions of the event, sponsored by Benchmark Records, crowned the Relatives (January 2002) and Loretta (July 2002) as champions.

Here are capsule descriptions of this year's finalists:

Devil to Pay

Lineup: Steve Janiak, vocals and guitar; Rob Secrist, guitar; Matt Stokes, bass; Chad Prifogle, drums.

About the band: As the only returning finalist from last year's battle series, Devil to Pay continues to captivate audiences with its riff- intensive metal. The quartet has begun work on its debut album, but a 7-inch vinyl single -- shared with Muncie-based Mantis and issued on Janiak's new label, Lax Wax -- will hit the marketplace first. Janiak, also known for his work with the groups Neurotic Box and the Pub Sigs, hopes Devil to Pay makes an impact on listeners. "As long as they walk away with a riff stuck in their head, that's all I care about."

More info: www.deviltopay.net.

83 Feet

Lineup: Josh McKenny, vocals and guitar; Christian Desserich, guitar; Mike Eicher, bass; Drew Darby, trombone; Joe Kubala, drums.

About the band: This outfit features a trombone player, but turn your thoughts away from ska or swing. 83 Feet has more in common with modern rock bands Cake, which integrates sardonic trumpet, and Morphine, known for its after-hours saxophone. "It's basically just rock 'n' roll with a trombone," Eicher says of 83 Feet. "It doesn't really sound like anything else out there." When founding 83 Feet in June 2002, the musicians thought they had a band name that correlated to the standard length of a semi trailer. They later learned they were 30 feet too long, but "83" stuck.

More info: www.zebox.com/83ft.

The Malcontents

Lineup: Ryan Fohl, vocals and guitar; Sharon Koltick, vocals and bass; Toby Russell, guitar; Emmett Hall, drums; Jon Richards, valve trombone; Jason Inman, trombone; Aaron Copeland, trumpet.

About the band: As the Malcontents approach their first anniversary next month, they've built noteworthy followings in their hometown of Lafayette and second home of Indianapolis. The septet connects with an all-ages fan base there and a bar crowd here. While the Malcontents are high-energy ambassadors of ska, they work hard to write material that isn't boxed into a formula, Fohl says. And if the Malcontents take home the big money tonight, the cash will finance the making of a debut album. "We don't have a good record that represents us," Fohl says.

More info: www.themalcontents.net.

Rhymefest

Lineup: Che "Rhymefest" Smith, MC.

About the band: The finals will cap a career-building summer for Rhymefest, the first rapper to advance this far in three editions of battles. He recently claimed first place and its $2,000 purse at Cincinnati's Scribble Jam, a freestyle tournament for Midwest-based MCs. Rhymefest will perform with DJ Indiana Jones and members of Mab Lab at the finals. "I know it's going to be a majority of rock fans and people who may not even be very fond of hip-hop," Smith says. "I want them to say, 'Wow. Music is so powerful that I liked what he was doing.' If it's good music, it transcends."

More info: www.crushentertainment.com.

Samsell

Lineup: Shawn Delaney, vocals and guitar; John Elder, vocals and guitar; Dave McKinney, bass; Michael Daubs, drums.

About the band: Within a diverse field of finalists, this band carries the flag for indie rock and British influences. Together since last October, the quartet picked Delaney's middle name of "Samsell" as their own. Despite Samsell's brief history, Delaney is encouraged by seeing strangers come to shows and respond to the music -- no small feat for unsigned musicians who can't rely on radio airplay for promotion. "You often play to close friends, your family and other bands that are playing that night," he says. "If you can get other people out to see you, you're starting to do something."

More info: www.samsell.net.

Seven Degrees From Center

Lineup: Tim Koberstein, vocals; Scott Dubbs, guitar; Ross Neu, guitar; Drew Bowman, bass; Hamed Anwarzai, drums.

About the band: "The third time's a charm," says Koberstein of his band's prospects tonight. Seven Degrees From Center placed second in the first Battle of the Bands and withdrew from the next edition to honor a commitment to play the Atlantis Music Conference in Atlanta. The band's melodic, emotive metal is heard on current album "The Negative." Guitarist Neu joined Seven Degrees from Center after the album was done. "He fills so much space," Koberstein says.

More info: www.7dfc.com.

Sonus Ventorium

Lineup: Alltus Snow, vocals; Phil Altum, conga drum and vocals; Joshua Rich, guitar; Terry Sharp, bass; Dave Rich, drums.

About the band: Spreading the word about Sonus Ventorium's new album, "Static Bliss," likely has helped the band mobilize its fan base for battle dates, Snow says. Stylistically, SV serves a cocktail of funk, metal and frenetic vocals. "We definitely keep it in the rock arena, but there's a lot of different flavors to that rock," the singer says. And the money? The money would be good. "We've been doing this for 31/2 years in this city," Snow says. "We have a credit card that could use a little help."

More info: www.sonusventorium.com.

Contact David Lindquist at 1-317-444-6404 or via e-mail at .

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