For the past two years, Xconomy has invited bands from Boston area companies to submit their music files to a select panel of judges to compete for the right to take the stage at our Battle of the Tech Bands, but this year we’ve added a twist. Rather than go through the selection process, we’ve invited two bands from the Seattle version of the competition to face off against standout contestants from past Boston battles. So what happens when Beantown bands defend their hometown honor against Northwest intruders, over guitars, drums, and a meeting of the area’s tech minds? We’re not quite sure ourselves, but we’ll find out on February 4th.

But there are reasons to attend the East vs. West showdown other than figuring out once and for all which coast is superior. We’re giving away a slew of door prizes for you video game addicts, neat freaks, and everyone in between. We’ll have three Rock Band video game bundles, two boxed copies of Turbine’s Lord of the Rings Online game, and Xbox 360 games and accessories. Don’t worry, for you practical people out there we have two $300 gift certificates to H&R Block (just in time for tax season!). Also, two of the famed Roomba automated vacuum cleaners from Bedford, MA’s iRobot.

We also have a few door prizes that might attract the entertainment-minded, including a duo of tickets for a concert at our Battle venue, the Middle East, as well as an overnight stay for two at Le Meridien hotel. Rialto was also kind enough to donate a $200 gift certificate for dinner for two (or one-and-a-half depending on what you order!).

In case your main reason for attending is the music, here’s some info on the evening’s performers. From Seattle, Lions Ambition will be representing Boeing and heavy metal band Juda’s Wake will strut Microsoft’s stuff. Taking the home field advantage, there’s The Dirty Truckers, who nabbed the Audience Favorite prize in last year’s Battle of the Tech Bands. They’re representing American Well and formerly representing Sophos. Deadbeat Darling, a pop electronica band of Pictela and formerly of Akamai, won in the audience category at the inaugural Boston Battle and will be returning this year. Another Boston alum will be there too: McAlister Drive, an indie pop band formerly representing Linedata Services. They won the Most Innovative Band prize at the first Battle after lead vocalist Christoph Krey jumped off the stage to do a river dance resembling those that Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon has been known to perform.

The bands will be competing for some great prizes as well, such as seven hours of studio time including engineering and production in Bristol Studios. Another prize is one year of Nimbit retail service, which includes storefronts for Facebook, MySpace & Official Website; Nimbit Fan Marketing tools; 500 download cards, 100 posters; and more. And three hours of digital media/strategy consulting from Ten Minute Media, which has designed websites for Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Van Morrison, and others.

We’ve asked the bands to dish to us why they’re each poised to win it all, and their answers reflect the chasm of cultural differences between the East and West coasts. Lions Ambitions, a Seattle band that describes its sound as a fusion of hip hop and rock, declined when probed for trash talk, staying true to the Pacific Northwest’s laidback stereotype. “I guess it’s not really our style, we’ll let our performance speak for itself and let the people decide,” Lions manager and member Frankie Yaptinchay said via e-mail.

Boston country-rock-soul band The Dirty Truckers took a somewhat different approach. Truckers guitarist/vocalist Tom Baker, with the characteristic display of Boston pomp, pride, and (dare I say?) nerdiness, writes this: “The Dirty Truckers will win this event because we can write ISO 9001 quality code, on top of Breed’s Hill in a raging snowstorm—-in SCALA! Can your other bands do that? All they are left with are Crosscutting Concerns.”

Exactly. Stay tuned for more mouthing off (hopefully) from the other bands and announcements of any additional door prizes that local benefactors feel inspired to send our way. Buy your tickets now for $25, or at the door the night of for $35. The night’s net proceeds will go to the Science Club for Girls and Year Up Boston.

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Xconomy’s first Battle of the Tech Bands last January was such a huge success—with close to 350 people gathering to hear six local groups, from the pop/dub/electronica hipsters Deadbeat Darling to the sonically massive Souled Out Superband to the proudly cheesy indie pop rock band MacAlister Drive—that we’ve decided to do it again. Same place (the Middle East in Central Square, Cambridge), same date (January 22). So, calling all New England tech bands: It’s time to send us your demos!

Half of all ticket proceeds from the event will go to benefit local charities. Once again, the play-off is open to all bands (amateur and pro alike) with at least one member who works at a technology, life sciences, or tech-investment firm in New England. We’ve lined up some great local judges to help us select the final six bands who will perform on January 22, including World Champion Boston Celtics Managing Partner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck, investor-musician Giles McNamee, and Harmonix Music Systems founder and CEO Alex Rigopulos.

If your band is selected, you’ll get to play for a big audience made of fellow entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, programmers, engineers, and musicians—and compete for some serious prizes, including free promotional services for your band from Nimbit. The audience will pick its favorite band, and a panel of Xconomy editors and select guests will do the same.

So join the battle and send us your MP3s now. Details on entering the contest are here—the deadline is Friday, December 12. Tickets for the event will go on sale soon.

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