Side Street Studio Arts kicks off fourth annual Battle of the Bands
Side Street Studio Arts, in conjunction with Fat Cat Custom Guitar and Repair, Hope for the Day and Rediscover Records, is proud to announce the 2017 Battle of the Bands.
The annual summerlong event is a celebration of local and regional musicians. With 13 bands and three wild card slots filling out the bracket, Battle of the Bands 2017 kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at the studio, 15 Ziegler Court in Elgin. It will culminate with the final battle between two bands on Saturday, Aug. 12.
The winner will receive more than $2,000 in prizes from Fat Cat, Rediscover, and Side Street Studio Arts, as well as additional performance opportunities from the art gallery and Hope for the Day throughout the year. All events are open to all ages and have a $5 suggested donation at the door.
In the first round of the competition, each band will have a short set. Audience members in attendance will have the opportunity to vote for the one band they prefer, as well as win prizes from Side Street Studio Arts and the individual bands.
The two highest vote-getters of each battle will be announced at the end of each event and will move on to the next round of the competition. The competition allows artists a freedom of expression and is designed to build support for the local music scene. Bands from all over the area share space, creativity, and audiences during this summerlong, un-juried competition.
"As a musician and former loser and winner of SSSA's BoB, I have witnessed and been inspired by these events for years now," said Kristine Medriano, Side Street Studio's assistant director who spearheads this year's BoB season. "There's exceptional musical talent prevalent in the Elgin area, and we want to work to keep giving these musicians chances to build their fan bases, and let audiences enjoy great nights of music."
On Saturday, May 20: Beach Bunny, Man Bites Dog, Elliott Ross, and a Wild Card; Saturday, May 27: Braintenna, The Crippled Girl, Foreign Sunsets, Phantoms & Pestilence; Saturday, June 3: Accidentally On Purpose, Revolt Coda, Sloth Hands, and a Wild Card; Saturday, June 10: Lower Automation, Mt Pocono, Porcupine, and a Wild Card.
Side Street Studio Arts was founded in 2013 by Tanner Melvin and Erin Rehberg as an outlet for the artists of Elgin. Currently under the direction of Amanda Harris, Roberto Martinez, Melvin, and Rehberg, its mission is to provide an accessible space, run by artists, encouraging all aspects of the artistic process from creation to curation. For information on Battle of the Bands or other programs, visit www.SideStreetStudioArts.org, call (847) 429-2276 or email SideStreetStudioArts@gmail.com.
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