Three Bloomington bands will compete for the title of “Bloomington’s Best Band” in the final round of Battle of the Bands at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater at 7 p.m. Thursday, according to the BCT Box Office website.
The first round on May 21 and 22 featured eight local bands, five of which advanced to the second round on May 28. The three remaining bands competing in the finals are King Bee and the Stingers, Matixando and The Helping Hands, BCT announced on Facebook Wednesday.
The bands specialize in blues, Latin fusion and grunge rock respectively. BCT Executive Director Jonah Crismore said he appreciates the wide variety of musical genres because it represents the robust Bloomington arts community. All bands must perform their own original music, according to the website.
“Battle of the Bands represents what is great about Bloomington: awesome art and great diversity,” Crismore said.
While the first two rounds consisted of pre-recorded performances streamed to a virtual audience, the final round will take place live in front of a limited in-person audience at the BCT, according to the website. The final round will also be streamed for those who prefer to watch virtually.
Crismore said the Battle of the Bands final is the first time the BCT will host an event of more than 50 people since the pandemic began.
“Battle of the Bands is also an opportunity for us to showcase artists who haven’t been able to perform as much due to COVID-19,” Crismore said.
According to the website, Battle of the Bands is judged by a panel of local music and performance experts. Each judge rates the bands on a scale from 1-5 in 4 categories: musicianship, performance quality, genre and originality.
The audience can also vote on their favorite band, which will receive 20 points in addition to the points awarded by the judges. King Bee and the Stingers won the popular vote for the second round, according to BCT’s Facebook post Tuesday.
The winner of Battle of the Bands will win $1,000 and the title of “Bloomington’s Best Band” while the runner-up will receive $500, according to the website.
Both in-person and online tickets cost $12 and can be purchased at the BCT Box Office website.