By: Chinta Puxley, THE CANADIAN PRESS
4/02/2010 5:32 PM

WINNIPEG - A Winnipeg ska band used to playing dark, intimate clubs is preparing to perform before an audience of several million football fans.

The high-energy band the Afterbeat is making its national TV debut in a Budweiser commercial set to air in Canada during the Super Bowl on Sunday.

For band members who have been slaving away the last few years at day jobs while trying to build on their loyal following of fans, the chance to play their song "Rude Boy" before millions could be the big break they've been hoping for.

Even if they're on screen for just 30 seconds.

"We're trying so hard to get our name out there," said lead singer and guitarist Mike Reis.

"Something like this is amazing. There's going to be something like four million people watching the Super Bowl. To have that many people see our faces, with our song for 30 seconds - how could you possibly ask for anything more effective marketing-wise than that?"

The commercial, which won't be seen by the Super Bowl audience in the U.S., was shot in Los Angeles last November and features the band playing to a wildly enthusiastic audience in a packed club. Several patrons order a pitcher of Budweiser but the waitress has trouble navigating through the writhing crowd.

When the band members are alerted to the difficulty, they slow the music down, quieting the crowd enough to allow the waitress to pass with her precious cargo.

"They get their pitcher of Budweiser and the drinking is saved," Reis said. "We go back into high gear and it goes crazy at the end again. And everyone's happy."

In the last year the band has focused on building a following over the Internet, Reis said. Their first album was released free online while the band tried to license out their music for TV, movies and commercials. The song "Rude Boy" caught the ear of a Toronto ad firm which, in turn, pitched it to Budweiser.

The idea snowballed from there, culminating in the band's starring role in the commercial.

"It was a surreal experience," Reis said.

Reis said many other musicians, including Moby and Canadian group Bedouin Soundclash, got their start on commercials before gaining widespread recognition.

With another album coming out this year, he said this exposure might help band members quit their day jobs and focus on their dream full time.

"Anything you can do nowadays to separate yourself from everyone else is worth exploring," said Reis who moonlights as a waiter at a Winnipeg chain restaurant. "The music industry is just so saturated right now. If you can do that little thing to step away from everybody, it's going to help you out so much. This Budweiser opportunity was definitely one of those instances."

The spot is set to air during Sunday's game between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, and will continue airing for several months afterwards. The band is planning to watch the game - and their commercial - at a bar and grill in Winnipeg with family and friends before playing a few live songs for the crowd.

Some fans have lamented that the group's talents won't be shared south of the border.

"Unfortunately, the Afterbeat will ONLY be viewed by a Canadian audience," commented one person online. "Sadly, the spot will not air on the U.S. coverage, thus denying the Afterbeat a U.S. audience. Still, this is a great thing for them, and will put them in the (Canadian) spotlight."

Another hoped the band was getting more than just TV exposure.

"I hope they get free Bud beer for a year," commented one fan.

© 2010 The Canadian Press

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