Bands made up of middle school and high school students will faceoff in the RD Battle of the Bands this upcoming weekend.
Young musicians will compete in the inaugural event at The Flex in downtown Red Deer, which is located at 4919 49 St., on Saturday, Dec. 3.
“I really wanted to showcase the young talent because they haven’t had a place to do it,” said Roy Rhyno, event organizer.
“I’ve been in the music scene for my whole life and growing up, battle of the bands was always such a major part of the scene. All-ages venues in and around Red Deer are pretty scarce.
“Our arts scene hasn’t had a whole lot to look forward to lately coming out of COVID. Things are getting back on track, but we lost a lot of places. We’re working together with the community to get us back on track. If this is as successful as I’m hoping, we’ll do this every year.”
If RD Battle of the Bands happens again next year, there will be an adult category as well, Rhyno said.
There will be thousands of dollars in prizes up for grabs at this year’s competition. The bands will also compete to open for Whale and the Wolf at a New Year’s Eve concert at the Memorial Centre in Red Deer.
Judges will decide the winners at RD Battle of the Bands, Rhyno noted.
“These judges are from all walks around Red Deer – they’ve all had some kind of impact on the music scene here. They’re all a little bit removed from each other so there’s no bias,” said Rhyno.
Four bands have signed up for the event so far: one from Sylvan Lake, another from Red Deer and two others Calgary. Rhyno said he expects one or two more bands to be a part of the competition.
The community pulled together to make this event happen, Rhyno added.
“I’ve got probably two dozen different businesses and individuals who have donated to the event. The money that was donated, we’re upwards of $10,000, when you consider the prizes and everything,” he said.
Doors open for the show at 3 p.m., with the RD Battle of the Bands beginning at 4 p.m. Only 150 tickets will be sold – to buy a ticket, search “RD Battle of the Bands” on Eventbrite.
To see profiles of the bands that will be competing in the event, visit RD Battle of the Bands’ Facebook page.
Following the battle, Red Deer band Safety Gear will play a 30-minute set.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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