Throw the Goat in performance. Photo courtesy of Brian Parnell.

Local rock fusion band “Throw the Goat” is through round one of the national Battle of the Bands, competing for a place on the Vans Warped U.S. tour, an annual punk rock event put together by Kevin Lyman.

TTG is Idyllwild born and bred, formed in 2011, “in the shag-carpeted living room of a small house on Cascade Drive,” said Brian Parnell, 30, lead guitarist and back up vocalist. Parnell is a nine-year Idyllwild transplant from Ontario.

Other members are Michael Schnalzer, 30, bass and lead vocals, born and raised in Idyllwild, Johnny Wilson, 32, rhythm guitar and backup vocals, Idyllwild local since childhood and Tim Olivier, 31, drums, originally from Hemet and Idyllwild resident since 2007. The group started with Olivier and Schnalzer, then added Wilson and gelled with the unexpected addition of Parnell. “It was one of those moments that musicians live for. The music hits, hairs stand on end and everyone in the room realizes that there’s something there greater than any one of the individuals,” said Parnell.

That cohesion and the fan base it has built will be needed as TTG moves forward in the Battle of the Bands competition. Next they play a local warm-up gig at the Lumber Mill starting at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Then they move on to the Battle regional semi-finals in Corona on June 2. If successful there, they head to the House of Blues in Anaheim on June 19. One finalist comes out of each contest until the winner appears June 22 at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds Fairplex as part of the Warped Tour.

When asked to describe their music, Schnalzer said, “We’re definitely rock and roll based, but there is some punk, metal moments and we’re melodic, a fusion of a lot of different elements. We’re really not like anything out there. We’re big fans of music and we hear a lot of what’s being played.”

Goat is in the process of recording their first CD, “Black Mountain,” engineered and mixed at AJP Recordings in Temecula. “We’re releasing it ourselves through our own label and publishing via retail, Internet distribution and we’re planning a tour in support of the album release. It’s our own stuff, all original material,” said Schnalzer.

Throw the Goat possesses over 10 years of individual touring experience and as a new entity they are completely self-made, with all recordings, distribution, bookings, promotion, merchandising and videos done by the band itself.

For more information, see the band website, throwthegoat.net.