(rockband.com) This week in Battle of the Bands

One of the perks of being the Lead Designer on Rock Band 2 is that you can have final signoff on things like Battle of the Bands events. So, what better way to abuse that power by setting up a battle to throw myself a birthday party in Rock Band 2! Bonus: you're all invited!

The "Lead Designer Birthday Battle" kicks off on Friday for 24 hours! Play "Conventional Lover" with a bass player in your band. The best part is that we'll be giving away huge chunks of in-game money for any characters that decide to play.

Looking to play something less self-congratulatory? I'd recommend the "Expert Time Signature Battle". Consisting of songs that aren't in 4/4 or 3/4, it's a great way to show that you can count beyond one hand.

I'd also like to welcome HMXVegas to the Rock Band 2 Live Team! Vegas is going to be helping out with battle design, and we're really excited to have her on the design team here. Be sure to send her your awesome suggestions for battles!

-DanT