There’s a fight every Wednesday night at First Ward House, but iPods are the weapons of choice, not fists, and you’re more likely to leave with a new favorite artist than a black eye.

It’s the weekly U.B.A.D.J. iPod fights, where the crowd controls the music. The idea came from new manager Mike Bransfield, and it’s one he’s had for awhile. As a DJ, he’s seen his share of people who think they know how to pick music to please a crowd.

“I’ve been a DJ since ’97, and everybody thinks they can do your job ... Everybody wants to be a DJ,” he says. “And now it’s your chance.”

From 9 p.m. to close, people can bring in their iPods, hook them up to the speakers and share their music with the rest of the bar crowd. You can put your iPod on shuffle or create a playlist for the night. Sometimes there’s a theme for the night, like ’80s rap or obscure cover songs.

And although the name implies this is a contest, and someone will be named the victor at the end, that’s not really how it works.

“iPod fights, a catchy name, there’s really no winner,” Mr. Bransfield says. “You’re just kind of battling your style against everyone else’s style.”

People take turns playing their iPods — five songs for each turn — and they can take as many turns as they want. There might be two people controlling the music or there might be seven, it just depends on the night. Either way, it makes for an unusual mix of music.

“One group might come in and play country, and another group might not like it and might fire back with heavy metal or hard rap,” says Chad Pinzino, First Ward House owner. “It gets pretty interesting.”

All types of music are welcome, Mr. Bransfield says, just as long as it’s not something that gets put on an endless loop in other bars. The more obscure and under used a song is, the more appreciation it gets.

And beware: If someone “suffers you through something,” Mr. Bransfield says, there will be payback. During one recent iPod night, a guy who played Buck Cherry — against the advice of Mr. Bransfield — was promptly treated to an eight-minute version of “We Are the World.”

You also might get some heckling from the crowd if you play something that’s subpar. But don’t be intimidated by it.

“That’s the fun of it,” says David Alison, a regular at the iPod night. “No one’s doing it out of meanness, no one’s being facetious. It’s all in good fun.”

The trade-off for being teased for picking a bad song is that you’ll get to hear some good ones, most likely new stuff you haven’t heard before.

“It’s a good cultural mix of music, because everyone who comes has a different mix of taste,” Mr. Alison says. “We very much are trading music and saying ‘Listen to this.’”

And not only does the iPod night expose bar-goers to new music, it also helps them meet new people.

“It gives you an amazing chance for everyone to interact with each other that normally wouldn’t interact,” Mr. Alison says.

People hear a song they like and ask around to see who downloaded it, he says. Then they go over and talk about the band, albums and whatever else. Not something you do when you’re listening to “Pour Some Sugar On Me” play on the jukebox for the zillionth time.

That’s the good thing about the iPods fights, Mr. Bransfield says. You have far more, and better, music choices, and you don’t have to spend any money to hear your song.

“It’s cheaper than a jukebox,” Mr. Bransfield says, “and there’s no limit. You bring it in.”

Lifestyles reporter Lacey Storer can be reached at lstorer@npgco.com