Side Street Studio Arts' Battle of the Bands goes into quarterfinals July 7
Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court in downtown Elgin, continues the 2018 Battle of the Bands. The annual summerlong event is a celebration of local and regional musicians and artists. Doors open at 7 p.m. with performances starting at 7:30 p.m.
The "Quarterfinal Battles" will be Saturdays, July 7 and 14, followed by the "Semifinal Battles" on Friday, July 27, and Saturday, July 28.
It will culminate with the "Final Battle" between two bands on Saturday, Aug. 11.
On July 7, the competing bands will be Middle Aged Overdose, Shaken Baby Syndrome, Mr. Butterfield and Binx.
On July 14, it will be Quiet Cove, New Nights, Long Birds and Sunday Cruise.
The winner will receive more than $2,000 in prizes as well as additional performance opportunities from Side Street Studio Arts throughout the year, and a top performance slot at the 2018 Elgin Fringe Festival.
All events are open to all ages. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door.
The Battle of the Bands competition allows artists a freedom of expression and is designed to build support for the local music and art scene. Bands from all over the area share space, creativity, and audiences during this summerlong, un-juried competition.
The event is sponsored by a variety of area businesses and organizations, including Fat Cat Custom Guitars and Repair, Rediscover Records, Danny's on Douglas, The Squire, Lubeck Studios, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Intz-A-Palooza, Bravo Magazine, and the Elgin Fringe Festival.
Side Street Studio Arts was founded in 2013 by 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 more information on Battle of the Bands or any of its programs, visit www.SideStreetStudioArts.org, call (847) 429-2276 or email SideStreetStudioArts@gmail.com.