Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Diversity focused
Week 1 is the Pop/Rock round with Ace Slite, Arianna Holiday, Duke of Owls and the Bruins, followed by Americana/Folk/Songwriter week with Austin Wolfe, Jeff William Butcher, Midwestern Mrs. and the Nautical Theme.
“I’m really happy with this year’s lineup,” said Libby Ballengee of Venice Child Productions. “There’s actually a lot of bands that are new to me, which I’m super excited about. We really put thought into curating each week. This is an event run completely by women, so we do try to be as thoughtful as possible. We’re trying to have high quality acts that are of interest to the public. We also want to make sure females are included and it’s ethnically diverse but that’s all based on who applies.
“The submissions we get are always really interesting to me,” Ballengee continued. “Last year we ended up having our own standalone night of country and bluegrass. I wasn’t sure if that was going to be a one-off, but we had enough applicants this year to do it again. I could put country and bluegrass all together in the folk-Americana night. They sort of blend together but it’s nice we have enough to make them separate rounds.”
Week 3 on Feb. 1 is the Hip-Hop/R&B round with Blanch Robinson, D. Knight, Damac, Dos.Grandiose and Melinamarie, followed by Alternative/Punk/Metal week with Attn Deficit Squirrel, Daygloom, Sheller and Toxic Nobility, and Country/Bluegrass week with Controversy For Breakfast, Possum Creek Ramblers, the Barnharts and the Shady Pine. The final round, week six, is Funk/Reggae/Jam/Experimental/Ska with Everybody Eats, Intergalactic Space Force, Freakquency and Kindhost.
“Now that we’re in our fourth year we’re getting some repeat bands like the Bruins and Toxic Nobility,” Ballengee said. “Each week there is a repeat band that has participated in the Battle of the Bands at some point in the past. I limited it to one per week because I didn’t want to have too many repeats and have a very repetitive season, but I do like that bands reapply. We like to see people evolve and then include them again so people can hear what they’re doing now.
“The only people who can’t repeat are the ones that one so Crabswithoutlegs, Bohemian Funk and the Katawicks can’t do it again. If I want to have a diverse lineup and include women and all these people, I’m probably going to have repeat some acts. There are a lot of factors at play, but we try to make it as fair as humanly possible.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Beyond the stage
Each week’s winner is selected by a combination of votes from the audience and from a panel of judges that includes Levitt Pavilion’s Lisa Wagner, Evan Miller from WYSO-FM (91.3), New Country 103.9′s Gina Ferraro, Chris “Poppy” Popadak from Hawthorne Heights and the Story Changes, Dayton Sound Studios’ Curt Hedberg and this writer.
“We put a lot of thought into the judges too,” Ballengee said. “Since we have a country week, I have a DJ from New Country as a judge. I’m trying to make sure the judges are appropriate for that week, and they are diverse, a mix of ages and pretty equal, female to male. I tell the bands that it’s not always about winning or even winning your week, it’s a chance for these different judges to see you. We try to include other bookers and other promoters.
“Lisa Wagner saw Novena and booked them at Levitt,” Ballengee continued. “They weren’t even a finalist. Chris Popadak saw Wreck League and that’s the reason they were at HoliDayton in December, and they totally crushed it. They used it as an opportunity to make a lot of new fans. Laura Zeller, the new owner of Oregon Express, is a new judge for us this year and they’re bringing music back to their location. We’re trying to put bands in front of people and be part of Dayton’s musical ecosphere.”
All acts participating in the Battle of the Bands get professional live photos by Jordan Lynn Freshour Photography. All finalists receive a live performance video filmed and produced by Sound Valley’s Ashley Karsten.
“We want to give things back to the bands they can use for their own marketing,” Ballengee said. “A lot of bands starting out don’t have strong photography or videography. Those photos by Jordan Freshour are great and the bands are free to use them for their press kits. The finalists get a video from Ashley Karsten. Those are things that can help them get shows outside of The Brightside or outside of Dayton at large.”
Admission each week is $10 in advance or $15 the day of the show. A six-week pass is $60 and includes each preliminary round and admission to the finals.
“The series pass is something new we’re doing this year,” Ballengee said. “We always get asked about it after we’ve already started so it’s too late so we’re offering that this time. We do have a lot of people that enjoy coming every week because it’s something to do in the winter. If you pay $60 presale you get admission to all six weeks and you get in the finale for free.”
First round action begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. If you want to have a say in which local acts participate in the March 29 finals, come out to The Brightside and be part of the process.
Contact this contributing writer at 937-287-6139 or donthrasher100@gmail.com.
How to go
What: Dayton Battle of the Bands with Ace Slite, Arianna Holiday, Duke of Owls and the Bruins
Where: The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 18; doors open at 7 p.m.
Cost: $10 in advance, $15 day of show; $60 for a six-week pass that includes admission to the finals
More info: 937-410-0450 or thebrightsidedayton.com
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