Side Street Studio Arts sets second annual Battle of the Bands
Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court in Elgin, in conjunction with Fat Cat Custom Guitars and Repair, Rediscover Records, and Nightmare on Chicago Street, recently announced the 2015 Battle of the Bands.
This summerlong event is a celebration of local and regional musicians. With 16 bands filling out the bracket, Battle of the Bands 2015 kicks off Friday, May 22. It will culminate with the final battle between two bands on Friday, Aug. 28.
The winner will receive prizes from Fat Cat, Rediscover Records, and Side Street Studio Arts as well as a cash prize and a performance slot during Elgin's Nightmare on Chicago Street in October.
Each band will perform a set of 60 minutes or less. Audience members in attendance will have the opportunity to vote for the one band they prefer, the band with the most votes will move on to the next round. Winning bands will be announced the day following the battle. New this year is a Wild Card slot at the end of the first round of competition.
Latecomers and/or bands voted out early on will have a chance to claw their way into the competition.
"Since SSSA opened," said Director Tanner Melvin, "live music has been the catalyst for some of our most vibrant events. We have witnessed the great musical talent that is prevalent in the Elgin area, and just want to work to keep giving these musicians chances to build their fan bases, and let audiences enjoy great nights of music. We are excited to see some new talent in the line up this year."
All performances begin at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7:30 p.m.
The first-round schedule will be: Dirty Water and Red Light Concession on May 22; Beer Murray and The Rhythm Section on May 23; Jade Daniel and In All Honesty on May 29; Big In Japan and Trial By Fire on June 6; Early Autumn Station and Little Yellow Dog on June 12; Pleural Hall and Oceans and Oceans on June 19; Wayfarer and The Green Light Satellite on June 26; and wild card on July 10.
For more information on Battle of the Bands 2015 or any of its programs, visit www.SideStreetStudioArts.org, call (847) 429-2276 or email SideStreetStudioArts@gmail.com.