Whether you like rock, hip-hop, reggae, indie or country, there is sure to be something for you at CU’s fourth annual Battle of the Bands Friday night.
The event, presented by the Program Council, will feature 11 acts that span the spectrum of musical styles; the only criteria is that at least one band member must attend CU.
When: Friday, Nov. 3 – Doors open at 7:30, and the show begins at 8 p.m.
Where: Glenn Miller Ballroom
Cost: Free
Bands to play: Second String, Rouge Sound, Now Here This, UpRoot, Weird Turn Prose, The Jimi Austin, Higher Ed, Some Random Band, Mach Heros, Me Llamo Rosa, and Varlet.
“It’s coming together great,” said Daniel Sax, a sophomore English major who organized the event. “We’re really blowing it up this year. We’re expecting it to be a massive event and set the precedent for future Battle of the Bands at CU.”
The competition will start at 8 p.m. at the Glenn Miller Ballroom in the UMC. Prizes for the winning bands include studio mastering of a 10-song album, guitars and other giveaways provided by the event’s numerous sponsors.
The bands will be judged in six categories: overall performance, audience response, musicianship, stage presence, originality and style.
Ryan St. John, who does the booking for Club 156 in the UMC, will help judge the contest.
“We’re looking for energy,” St. John said. “Anybody who’s into their own music and transfers that energy to the crowd. That’s definitely a plus.”
The bands, which were selected out of a group of over 20 applicants, will each get 10 to 15 minutes to play. For Ben Meis, a junior aerospace engineering major and his band Second String, this works out to two songs.
“We basically decided which two songs we wanted to play, and we’ve been practicing with the group, trying to work out all the kinks,” Meis said. “We’re just going to try to make ourselves stand out, make sure we’re really clean.”
Sax said he hopes this event will help give exposure to CU’s burgeoning music scene.
“The Battle of the Bands is important because it gives up-and-coming bands a chance to make their voice heard.”