Battle of the Bands moves to finals Friday in Elgin
Side Street Studio Arts, in conjunction with Fat Cat Custom Guitars and Repair, Rediscover Records and Nightmare on Chicago Street, will host the final battle for the 2016 Battle of the Bands.
Local bands Home Burial and Steve Barnes and The Hazy Sparrow have all battled their way into the finals of the third annual competition.
This summer-long event is a celebration of local and regional musicians, supported in part by the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission.
The final battle will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court in Elgin.
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 on the main stage during Elgin's Nightmare on Chicago Street event in October.
Each band has already won three rounds of battles, which begin in May. Friday, they will perform sets of 60 minutes or less of original music. Audience members in attendance have the opportunity to vote for the one band they prefer. The band with the most votes will be announced following a performance by last year's winner Oceans and Oceans.
"This has been an excellent summer of music at Side Street," said Side Street Studio Arts founder Tanner Melvin. "The final two bands couldn't be more different, but both come with energetic and supportive followings, and put on a great show. All the bands that have competed this summer have consistently upped their games along the way. It has been inspiring and entertaining."
The performance order will be decided by a coin flip the night of the battle. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the first band will play at 7:30 p.m. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door.
Side Street Studio Arts was founded in 2013 by Melvin and Erin Rehberg as an outlet for the Elgin arts scene. Currently under the direction of Amanda Harris, Roberto Martinez, Melvin, and Rehberg, Side Street provides educational and creative resources and an accessible space, run by artists. Its mission is to support the artist and artistic journey through collaboration. For more information on Battle of the Bands or any other programs, visit www.SideStreetStudioArts.org, call (847) 429-2276 or email SideStreetStudioArts@gmail.com. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.