Rock band Black Maria found itself the April victors of the Yahoo Music “Who’s Next?” online contest.

The victory gave the band the chance to record an exclusive performance that can be screened on the Internet and get their name buzzing worldwide.

“We’re just starting to see the beginning phases of what that’s going to do for us,” says Black Maria vocalist Chris Gray.

“It gives us a lot more exposure to a lot more people and a different crowd. We’re really excited about it.”

Internet exposure hasn’t stopped at one Web site for the band, however. Gray says, thanks to a host of popular music sites, the band has been able to get its music to enough willing ears to build a following relatively quickly since its 2002 inception.

“It’s huge, everything from Myspace, purevolume, Yahoo to Victory has been a huge help to us,” he says.

Despite the heavy Web play, the band says it hasn’t forgotten how to convert fans the old-fashioned way. Gray says Black Maria has been on tour for five to six months to promote the release of its debut LP “Lead us to Reason.” In addition to its coast-to-coast travels, Gray says the band has its sights set on a European tour this summer.

“We plan to stay on the road as long as we can,” Gray says.

Staying on the road is giving the band a chance to do what Gray says it likes the most about being musicians — being in a band with friends and playing music for a living. But occasionally the road throws a curveball.

Gray recalls one of the band’s most memorable tour moments, when the band was at a strip club with pop-punkers Sum 41. Gray says the presence of the rock stars drew a lot of attention from the ladies and upset the club’s locals.

“We had to be escorted out by security,” Gray says.

The prolonged touring may also be a reason that underground rock bands like Black Maria are suddenly finding themselves knocking on the door to mainstream success. Gray says even its indie record label, Victory Records, has undergone a transformation over the last five years.

“It’s not as underground as it used to be. Victory has become sort of the underground mainstream,” Gray says.

“People just want something with a little more passion and a little more heart to it.”

If there is a demand for passionate music, the band will continue to tour and convert fans, Gray says. The best part of playing live is getting the crowd to interact and return the energy, he says.

“When the crowd is participating as well, it turns into a new kind of show,” he says.

Who: The Black Maria, Anberlin and Bleed the Dream

Where: The House of Bricks

When: Tuesday, April 19; 6 p.m.

Cost: $8 advance $10 day of show