The 30th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival will be the debut of a Battle of the Bands contest, and Jones, the 19-year-old guitarist and back-up vocalist of 51 Landmines says he is both nervous and excited.

Rich Dellamaggiore, 2008 Festival entertainment co-chairman, said every year the committee reviews performers to entertain on the main stages and the quality of young local musicians has become more evident.

"It's time we provide these groups a platform to showcase their talents," he said. Band members must be 20 or younger.

Originally, organizers hoped for more bands and scheduled two days of performances (Friday and Saturday) to select the two finalist bands, which will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday on the Gazebo Stage. But with just five bands signed up, the competition will begin at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in a shade tent on the Ranch side adjacent to Gourmet Alley.

Currently the bands include The Evince Expression, 51 Landmines, Exhibit A, The Beeftones and Chasing Truth.

"The (music) scene in Gilroy has really died down," said Max Mote, 16, of the Gilroy-based band The Evince Expression.

The prize is $1,000 for first place and $500 for the runner up. Three judges will award scores out of 10 points based on quality of music, stage presence and originality. For Jones, the money would be an opportunity for the band to buy new equipment. But the contest is also about "put(ting) our name out there," he said.

The Beeftones and Exhibit A mentioned that after the closing of MC510 there have been fewer places to play in Gilroy. MC510 was an all-ages music venue located at 5580 Monterey Road.

"Now, you just gotta get lucky," said Jake McDonald, a 19-year-old member of Exhibit A.

The five bands have a great range of past performing experiences. The Beeftones, a Hollister alternative band, has performed at high schools and street festivals.

Chasing Truth, a Gilroy-based rock/metal band, performed at the 2007 Joshua Fest in the northern California town of Quincy. They have a full length CD out, entitled "A Debt to Pay" and will soon be releasing their second CD, "When the Moon Strikes Fire."

Chasing Truth's drummer, Max Mote, will also be performing in his acoustic/alternative rock band, The Evince Expression. Mote started the one man band because "it's hard to express feeling in a band that plays heavy music." He currently has an album entitled "My Angel" and is working on a second one called "Clouds." Mote learned he was in the contest when his mother told him that she had "lost" her copy of his new CD and needed a new one. Then, she admitted that she had used the CD to enter Mote in the Battle of the Bands.

Exhibit A is led by founding member, Travis Kimes who started the group in high school and has seen members come and go. The three 19-year-olds have performed at San Benito High School, Capitola, downtown San Jose, Morgan Hill and five times in Gilroy.

Kimes said they play rock and roll and whatever they feel like. People have also called the music grunge. They currently have a 10-song demo out.

And then there is Jones and the debut band, 51 Landmines.

"We haven't played anywhere yet," said Jones, a graduate of Gilroy High School. The group has been playing together for about two years. They have a demo with six songs.

The Gilroy Garlic Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 25, 26 and 27 at Christmas Hill Park. Advance tickets and the official Battle of the Bands Rules are available online at gilroygarlicfestival.com. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for seniors (age 60 and older) and $6 for children age 6 to 12. Children younger than 6 are admitted free.