This week’s Wheels features a killer new band out of L.A. that has just released its debut EP. Also, check out my interview with Sennheiser’s Stefanie Reichert, who talks about the company’s HearIam program. Keep feedin’ my inbox: Jesse.beerdietz@hitsmagazine.com.

SPOTLIGHT
Beta Wolf (www.myspace.com/betawolfmusic): These rockers from Orange County immediately grabbed our attention with their newly released EP. Here’s a point-by-point rundown on what they have going on. We think this band is the real deal and poised for big things.

* Focus tracks: “Los Angeles” and “Undertow”
* First Beta Wolf show was this January
* New EP produced by Bob Marlette (Shinedown, Seether, Atreyu)
* Released digitally (worldwide) last Tuesday (8/24). iTunes featured on front page of Rock section under New and Noteworthy
* ”Undertow” is featured in the forthcoming WWE movie Legendary (with John Cena and Danny Glover), coming to theaters next Friday (9/10)
* Featured in the October issue of Alternative Press
* ”Undertow” is being played heavily in Japan via FM Yokohama
* Live video for “Undertow,” already north of 10k plays on YouTube, can be viewed here
* November show at the Glasshouse in Pomona with Mae (the band's final O.C. appearance this year)
* Southwest touring/shows with Brandon Saller (Atreyu), Mike Watt, Petty Cash
* Played the El Rey, Chain Reaction, the Roxy, On The Rox (headline, sold out), HOB Anaheim, HOB Sunset (Foundation Room (headline, sold out), Anthology San Diego, Coach House, Mint, UCSD

EMAIL Q&A WITH STEFANIE REICHERT, VP STRATEGIC MARKETING, SENNHEISER USA
Can you explain a little bit about what the Sennheiser HearIam program is all about?
HearIAm is all about connecting music lovers with up-and-coming bands and artists. The program offers a platform for both parties to discover each other, and addresses a key trend in the music industry. Undiscovered, up-and-coming bands use social media today to help them create awareness; fans now have access to much more undiscovered music through social media tools, which have significantly increased overall appreciation and adoption of indie music. HearIAm provides the tools needed to do so.

Sennheiser plays in both fields—we offer products for musicians and products for music lovers. HearIAm expresses the confident state of the independent artist, the confident fan and Sennheiser, as a premium brand.

How much of an impact has the contest had for previous winners?
For the band Trucker from Kansas, this was the largest and by far highest-profile concert they ever have played. They managed to perform in front of and interact with thousands of new fans. Additionally, they got to experience what it is like to be rock stars; Sennheiser gave them the VIP treatment. They were flown in to Montreal, shuttled to the hotel and the venue, got to hang out in a posh green room. They were also awarded a gear prize of $10,000, which enables them to upgrade their equipment. They will likely elect to purchase In-Ear Monitoring Systems from Sennheiser.

Moving forward, they will not only take this live experience with them, but will also benefit from the fan exposure they gained from our platform. Their friends and fans were thrilled, and much like the band, Sennheiser made it all a very nice trip for them. They all gained access to the backstage artist area and met plenty of other bands. This made it a very unique experience, which the videos can attest to.

For up-and-coming artists, and so many programs to get involved in, what makes the HearIAm program stand out from the rest?
HearIAm is unique, as it really focuses on the social media impact. Every band that signs up with HIA receives a media tool kit that allows them to very easily spread the word among their fans via social media. Additionally, the web portal allows fans to easily share the music with their friends. In fact, fans are only entered to win if they have shared music with somebody else. This naturally increases the impact and exposure for the bands. Finally, the prize is pretty attractive; not only have we selected really great festivals to perform at, we also helping bands upgrade their equipment with a generous gear prize. At the end of the contest, every band has a shot to win a distribution deal and an A&R showcase with Universal Republic in N.Y.

Would Sennheiser ever consider giving out a sponsorship to help bands be able to tour?
Sennheiser does have an active artist relations program and regularly reaches out to up-and-coming bands.