Spring Music Festival and Y108: Rock and Roll Challenge

The Spring Music Festival is a celebration of music that showcases both established and independent bands from North America. Under the festival umbrella, The Rock and Roll Challenge is a tournament-style modern rock talent search that will award one band $25,000 in prizes and services, a growing cash award currently valued at $5000, and be crowned the festival's Rock and Roll Champion./n/nThe Spring Music Festival is a celebration of music that showcases both established and independent bands from North America. Under the festival umbrella, The Rock and Roll Challenge is a tournament-style modern rock talent search that will award one band $25,000 in prizes and services, a growing cash award currently valued at $5000, and be crowned the festival's Rock and Roll Champion. Currently there are 200 slots available for Sonicbids bands within Ontario. Each show averages 250 people and bands are encouraged to sell merch, while gaining new fans and being judged by industry veterans (click here for more info).

This contest will be promoted heavily on Y108 radio throughout the entire campaign, from the first qualifying round up to the finals. Each year more than 10,000 fans listen to and vote for their favorite songs. This is a great chance to:

• Play in front of hundreds of people, including industry professionals and veterans


• Gain new fans


• Sell merch


• Heighten your profile within the industry, the local scene and with music loving fans


• Be treated with respect by promoters

The prize package is designed as a "Development Package", where one up-and-coming artist will be provided with a group of prizes designed to help them record, market a single to radio, perform at high profile shows and gain overall awareness and recognition. A CD compilation featuring the best bands in the contest will be released in April 2011 and will be played on Y108 FM throughout the entire weekend of the festival in May 2011. You do not have to apply to the festival in order to qualify for this contest; it's 100% free to enter.

There will be approximately 50 qualifying rounds, featuring 6 bands per evening between September 2010 and April 2011. Each night there will be one winner that will move on the quarter-finals. The finals take place during the festival May 12-14, 2011 in Hamilton, Ontario. Target markets include Hamilton, Kitchener, Milton, Brantford, St. Catharine’s, London, Toronto, Burlington, as well as other Ontario cities. If your Ontario city is not listed, please register anyway and they'll try to bring a show to your area.

Semi-finals:

There will be approximately 8 bands moving on to the semi-finals during March and April 2011, with a possible 2 wild cards chosen by the judges.
The 10 semi-finalists will be announced on-air on Monday April 25th at 4:00 PM with Andre Schikolenko with each band being featured on Y108’s independent program “Get Hammered” where they will also have their song, bio and photo uploaded to Y108.ca. The on-air announcers will direct fans and Y108 listeners to the web site to vote for their favourite band. The five bands with the most online votes will move on to the finals during the festival.



Finals:

Of the 10 bands being voted on, the five finalists receiving the highest number of votes will be announced on Monday April 25th at 4:00 PM with Andre Schikolenko and be invited to perform at the finals at during the festival on the weekend of May 12 - 14, 2011.



Upcoming Shows:

• The Hive in Kitchener - November 19th, 2010, January 14th, 2011


• The Corktown - November 25th, 26th and 27th and December 3rd and 4th, 2010


• Squirrel Tooth Alice's in Guelph - November 27th, 2010


• The Corktown in Hamilton - December 3rd and 4th, 2010


• The Hardluck in Toronto - December 10th and 11th, 2010


• Mikado Lounge in St. Catherines - December 11th, 2010


• Club NV in Brantford - January 14th, 2011


• The Boston Manor in Burlington - January 22nd and February 26th, 2011

Here's what some previous performers have said:


"It was a packed house all night, I was shoulder to shoulder with people everywhere, you could hardly move. Our band is honoured to have made it to the Y108 finals. It helps bring our awareness to a new level, we reached a new crowd of people, we have new believers in our music, and people that connect with what we are all about. We felt a huge energy with our performance, and such a strong connection with the crowd. It is the greatest honour to have an entire room of people singing along with your music. Thank You! I look forward to working with you again on a great show!"

-- Live How You Live


"Thanks for putting together this amazing competition. It has kicked our asses into gear so hard, it has changed us as a band. We have learned so much, and to have made it this far has given us a confidence and faith in our music that we never would have had otherwise. We have met lots of great people and come into contact with great bands like Miasmata (love those guys!) and others... Whether competitor or attendee, I plan to attend many future SMF's! I have never been so excited to play a show!!!!"

-- Lucky 13