Cal U. to host Battle of Bands
Washington Symphony Orchestra will hold a Battle of the Bands at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre at California University of Pennsylvania.
Eight local rock bands will perform original music as they compete for a $500 grand prize.
In addition, seven minutes of music by the winning band will be arranged for orchestra, and the band will be invited to perform the arrangement at the WSO’s “We Will Rock You” concert in May.
Performers in three of the eight competing bands – Tartarus, Soulios and Mike Meketa and the Half-Baked Jazz Band – are Cal U. students.
Various musical styles will be represented in the contest, but themes, language and attire will be no stronger than PG-13.
The Battle of the Bands is a collaborative effort of the WSO, Cal U.’s Department of Music and Theatre, the Student Activities Board and the Underground Café.
Contest judges will be Dr. Yugo Ikach, Cal U.’s director of choirs and music director and principal conductor for the WSO; Ralph Guzzi, who is a colleague of Ikach’s at Cal U.; Pete Povich of WJPA radio; and radio personality/columnist Scott Paulsen.
The competing bands have been invited to perform at the Underground Café’s open-mic nights at 9 a.m. Thursday and Feb. 18 in the Energy Zone at the Natali Student Center. The Underground Café is open to Cal U. students.
Cost to attend the Battle of the Bands is $5. Admission is free for Cal U. students.
For more information, email ikach@calu.edu.