Diehard Fans Are Given Access to Last Batch of Free Tickets Courtesy of Winning Band

WARREN, NJ -- (Marketwire) -- 08/18/09 -- After roughly 700,000 text and online votes, fans chose The Birthday Massacre as the winner of this year's Virgin Mobile FreeFest's Book the Band Contest, powered by Kyocera. Employing Facebook and other social networking sites, The Birthday Massacre nabbed more than 280,000 of the votes in Virgin Mobile USA's and Kyocera's third-annual Book the Band Contest.

The Birthday Massacre will join A-list headliners including Blink-182, Weezer, Franz Ferdinand, Public Enemy, and a dozen more at the Virgin Mobile FreeFest on August 30 at Merriweather Post Pavilion, in Columbia, Md. With entertainment spanning across two stages, a dance tent, and acres of arts and attractions, FreeFest will host The Birthday Massacre as they take to the stage with their fusion of new wave retro rock.

"Book the Band has been a hugely successful program in its three-year run because it gives fans the rare shot to program the actual show," said Ron Faris, Director of Brand Marketing & Innovation, Virgin Mobile USA (NYSE: VM). "And this year, as an added twist, we've given more than a hundred free tickets to our sold-out show to The Birthday Massacre, as the winning band, to distribute to fans in the area as a way of thanking them for voting."

"Book the Band is an incredible launching-pad for up-and-coming bands, energizing their fans, giving them great exposure and culminating with a spot in the all-star line-up at the Festival," said Tom Maguire, head of global marketing at Kyocera Communications Inc. "Through programs like Book the Band and Kyocera ALL Access, where 14 young fans will win the chance to create a behind-the-scenes documentary about FreeFest, Kyocera and Virgin Mobile USA are thrilled to give fans a voice in how the event shapes up and how it's remembered well into the future."

The Birthday Massacre issued a statement: "The Birthday Massacre is happy to be sharing the stage with some of the bands that we have admired for a long time. We have just finished touring Europe and playing some big festivals, but this is the biggest and it should be great fun for us and our fans. Thanks to Virgin Mobile and Kyocera for the chance to play."

The Birthday Massacre beat out four other up-and-coming bands by receiving an overwhelming 40 percent of the more than 700,000 votes placed online and via text from July 27, 2009 to August 14, 2009. Black Gold came in second place with more than 220,000 votes.