SPAC Hosts Battle of the Bands

A “Battle of the Bands” competition on Friday, May 21 at the Spa Little Theatre has been added to the lineup of Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s Extended Season. From YouTube video auditions, ten bands will be selected as finalists to perform in front of a live audience and a panel of celebrity judges for the chance to win a prize package that includes a professionally recorded 5-song EP at The Recording Company and airplay on northeast radio station WEQX. The public will have the opportunity to select one of the 10 finalists by voting for their favorite band on SPAC’s website, www.spac.org

"We are thrilled to introduce this wonderful new event which will showcase the extraordinary talents of emerging musicians and bands from this region and beyond. It’s an exciting opportunity for us to further diversify our programming with up-and-coming artists from our area, and a great opportunity for the participants as well who will have the chance to perform at a world-class venue that has hosted the biggest stars from the classical and contemporary worlds,” said Marcia J. White, SPAC’s President & Executive Director

“Battle of the Bands will expand on our commitment to showcasing ‘emerging artists’ during our Extended Season and give audiences of all ages a chance to get closer to the arts and the artists who are making a name for themselves here in our own backyard," she added.

The 10 finalists who will perform on May 21 will be chosen via a YouTube audition video and online entry form available at www.spac.org. All bands who’ve applied will be listed on SPAC’s website on Friday, April 16. A voting period for the public to choose one of the ten finalists that will perform at SPAC will take place on April 17 and 18.

Judging of the 10 finalists will be based on audience response and by a panel of local celebrity judges, that will include:

§ Debbie Gabrione, guitarist and spirited lead singer of Ten Year Vamp, a power pop/rock band based in Albany that has opened for Lifehouse, Gavin DeGraw, Natasha Beddingfield, Simple Plan, the Spin Doctors, and many others.

§ Matt Baumgartner, owner of Bombers restaurants in Albany and Schenectady and Wolff’s Biergarten, as well as the irreverent, tell-it-like-it-is blogger at Fridaypuppy.com

§ Jason Irwin, host of the award-winning local music show EQX-Posure! which features one full hour of the areas finest talent.

In addition to the professionally recorded EP and airplay on WEQX, the winning band will also receive 100 custom tee-shirts, 1,000 custom stickers from Saratoga Statement and placement of their name and logo on SPAC’s website until December 31, 2010.

Bands interested in participating should visit SPAC's website at www.spac.org to submit an online entry form and YouTube audition video. The deadline for applications is Wednesday, April 14. Public voting for one of the 10 finalists will occur on April 17 and 18; all 10 finalists will be announced and tickets will go on sale for the event April 21. There is no entry fee to participate. If selected for one of the 10 finalist positions, bands must agree to purchase 25 tickets at $15 each, which can then be sold or given away to fans, friends and family. More information is available on SPAC’s website at www.spac.org