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Battle of the Bands

2026 Battle of the Bands Line Up Released

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The annual concert series competition kicks off in January at the Brightside Music and Events Venue in downtown Dayton and features six preliminary rounds from which six finalists are chosen to compete at the finale on Saturday, March 7. “The goal of Dayton Battle of the Bands is to give a platform for the outstanding local musical talent we have in the Dayton community, while providing a prize package that helps launch them to their next level,” says organizer Libby Ballengee of Venus Child Productions.

The preliminary rounds are organized by genre and are judged by both a crowd vote and a panel of judges made up of local music industry professionals and tastemakers. The winner of the finale is chosen entirely by the audience. The competition is for original music only with participants who live within a 35-mile radius of downtown Dayton.

Grand Prize winner gets:

$1000 cash prize, a Free EP recording session with Dayton Sound Studios, the opportunity to perform at Levitt Pavilion Dayton during the Summer 2026 Concert Season and 50, 1 color design T-shirts, printed by Little Monster Printing.

Black Friday Deal:
This year for Black Friday they are offering a special on the  Battle of the Bands Series Pass!  Get the  SERIES PASS for just $50 (Regularly $75) – That’s just $7.14 per show!
Get into ALL 6 weeks + the Finale for less than a pizza! Save $60 off door prices!
Option 2 is for a  VIP TABLE FOR TWO – $300 (Regularly $400)
Want guaranteed seating? Snag a table for 2 and save $50! **This is the ONLY way to get a table at the Finale (other than being a sponsor). Limited quantity available!**
This sales starts Black Friday and runs through Cyber Monday at midnight
Don’t miss 7 nights of original, local music for an unbeatable price. Support Dayton’s music scene and discover your new favorite band!
NOTE: Individual week tickets will be on sale soon as well!

 

Previos Battle of the Band Winners:
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2020

THE KATAWICKS

The Katawicks are a soulful indie folk rock trio that has the distinction of being our first-ever Dayton Battle of the Bands winners! Allison Justice (leader, singer, guitar, ukulele), Matt Washburn (lead guitar), and Tony Powers (bass) make up this fantastic group. Listen to The Katawicks Spotify here. 

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2022

BOHEMIAN FUNK

Bohemian Funk blew audiences away with their dynamic sound and throwback look. Led by Rocko Dalian, this band is self-described as rock’n’soul, mixing blues, rock, soul and, of course, funk, to create their sound. Take a listen here.

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CRABSWITHOUTLEGS

Crabswithoutlegs is a young, nine-piece original jazz-fusion ensemble made up of performing arts students. Led by singer Eleanor Dakota and bass player & composter, Carter Griffin, they enchant audiences with their robust sound and undeniable talent! Explore their music here.

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2024

FREAKQUENCY

Freakquency rocked our stage with their energetic funk-fusion originals and mad skills! Led by a dynamic front man, Sayyid Jones, this group has been honing their skills and sound for several years and are ready to take on the world!  You can listen to Freakquency here.

 

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2025

Empire pool

Empire Pool knocked our socks off with their high-energy rock and incredible stage presence! Their originals are infused with funk, surf, jam, and indie influences. This young band is one to keep your eye on! You can listen to Empire Pool here.

 

Battle of the Bands Week 2: AMERICANA / FOLK / SINGER-SONGWRITER

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This week we feature our AMERICANA / FOLK / SINGER-SONGWRITER acts, featuring:
Austin Wolfe
Jeff William Butcher
Midwestern Mrs
The Nautical Theme
Not familiar with any of the bands participating? That’s the fun! This is a cool way to check out new, local, original music! Each ticket buyer gets one vote (in person).
The winner of this round earns a spot at the Dayton Battle of the Bands Finale, among other prizes!
Week 2 is held on Thursday, January 25, 2024
The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton).
Doors open at 7pm (NOTE: due to equipment load in, we cannot let patrons in earlier than 7pm).
Show 7:30-10pm
Please be prompt to see all the bands performing!
Tickets are $10 advance / $15 at the door.
Advance tickets are recommended.
Note – Ticket sales are used to cover production costs and prizes. Thanks for contributing!
Ticket link – https://www.venuepilot.co/events/94415/orders/new
**There is now a series pass available** If you want to buy all 6 weeks you get into the finale free! https://www.venuepilot.co/events/94654/orders/new#/
IMPORTANT NOTES:
If you don’t see a ticket receipt – check your Spam / Junk folders in your email. As long as you see a charge on your credit card – you’re on the list!
For everyone’s health and safety, the venue has installed UV-C filters in the HVAC units to sanitize circulated air. Feel free to wear a mask, as needed.
Free parking is available on both sides of building. More info about the venue can be found at thebrightsidedayton.com
All ages are welcome! Under 18 must have adult supervision.
There is no food truck at this event, so you are welcome to bring in outside food (within reason space-wise).
Note that there are no guaranteed tables. Seating / standing is general admission.
There is a bar with non-alcoholic options and alcohol sales for those over 21 with ID. NO outside beverages are allowed.
Tickets are non-refundable. If you are unable to make it – please forward to a friend, or consider this a donation to the team working to find new, original music in Dayton Ohio! Thank you!
WEATHER NOTE – If weather / roads are bad we will announce a reschedule date

Dayton Battle of the Bands Returns

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Week 1 features four local artists / bands in the pop / rock genre!
 Ace Slite
Arianna Holiday
Duke of Owls
The Bruins
Each week’s winner is selected by a combination of votes from the audience and from a panel of judges
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.
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.

Newly Announced: Dayton Battle of the Bands Finale line-up is set!

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The 3rd annual Dayton Battle of the Bands Finale is happening on March 11, 2023 at The Brightside, and the line-up is now set. After 6 weeks of competition at The Brightside, the top 6 bands will compete in one amazing show!

The finalists include the following bands (alphabetical order – not performance order of the night)

– Crabswithoutlegs
– Josh Webb & The Home Sown Band
– The Luv Locz Experiment
– R3G
– Sam King & The Suspects
– Wreck League

Not familiar with any of the bands participating? That’s the fun! This entire series is a fun way to check out new, local, original music!

How does it work? Each ticket buyer gets one vote (in person). You’ll be asked to rank your top 3 bands in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Unlike the rounds, which were a combination of judge and audience votes, the finale is decided by the audience only.

The grand prize is an EP session at Dayton Sound Studios, the title sponsor of this series. The grand prize winner also gets to perform at Levitt Pavilion Dayton during the summer 2023 concert season, a merch package from Little Monster Printing, pizza for rehearsals from Dayton Pizza Factory & $1000 cash prize.

HOW TO GO?
March 11, 2023
Doors 6pm. Show 7pm.
Music starts at 7pm – we highly recommend you get there by 7 to see all the bands perform.
The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton)
Tickets are $15 advance
$20 at the door. 
Note: Advance tickets are recommended (this event has sold out!)
Ticket link – https://www.venuepilot.co/events/70559/orders/new

Battle of the Bands – Week 2 – R&B, Hip Hop, & Rap artists!

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Dayton Battle of the Bands – Week 2 – continues the 2023 concert series with local R&B, Hip Hop, & Rap artists!
Featuring:
– RJ Jen
– Jeremy Street & Fatty Lumpkin
– Blanch Robinson
– R3G
Not familiar with any of the artists participating? That’s the fun! This is a cool way to check out new, local, original music! Each ticket buyer gets one vote (in person).

The winner of this round earns a spot at the Dayton Battle of the Bands Finale, among other prizes! The grand prize is an EP session at *Dayton Sound Studios*- the title sponsor of this event. The grand prize winner also gets to perform at Levitt Pavilion Dayton during the summer 2023 concert season!

Week 2 is held on Thursday, January 19th at The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton). Doors open at 7pm (due to equipment load in, we cannot let patrons in earlier than 7pm). Show 7:30-10:30pm. Please be prompt to see all the bands performing!
Tickets are $10 advance / $15 at the door. Advance tickets are recommended. Note – Ticket sales are used to cover production costs and prizes. Thanks for contributing!

Ticket link – https://www.venuepilot.co/events/66563/orders/new

The Line Up for the 2023 Battle of The Bands Released!

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We are thrilled to announce the Dayton Battle of the Bands 2023 concert line-up! 📣 The whole team – with Venus Child Productions & Sound Valley  have announced the line-op for the 2023 edition of the Dayton Battle of the Bands.  Organizer Libby Ballengee says,  “we’re thrilled to have rock, R&B, hip-hop, rap, folk, singer-songwriters, jazz, blues, world, electronic, Americana, country, bluegrass, funk, reggae, and jam styles all represented this year! One big change this year is that we had so many artists from different genres sign up we only have 1 rock week.”   The battle, that kicks off Jan 12th will take place each week at  The Brightside Music & Event.   The finals will take place on March 11th and winner will get a cash prize, an EP recording at  Dayton Sound Studios and other prizes still being finalized.

Dayton Battle of the Bands taking applications through December 12th

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 Dayton Battle of the Bands is taking applications for the 3rd annual competition now through December 12th. The annual winter concert series shines a spotlight on the up-and-coming local talent within a 35-mile radius of Dayton (including Middletown, Springfield, and Greenville).

Dayton Battle of the Bands finalists from 2022

One problem local venues and promoters run into is that there are so many great bands in the Dayton region, it can be challenging to wade through all the songs, samples, and videos that are sent to them on a regular basis. Plus with auto-tune and effects, it’s hard to take those and know what a live show will be like.

The Brightside, Levitt Pavilion, and others use the Dayton Battle of the Bands as an audition space for opening acts for national acts, or even stand-alone shows. This “competition” is much more of a networking event and an opportunity to get on the radar so your band has a better chance at getting booked at future events.  (Clarification – does not need to be a band, solo artists are welcome too!)
The competition starts on January 12, 2023 at The Brightside, and runs through February.  The finale will take place on Saturday, March 11th. Tickets for the public will be made available soon.
Band rules and info can be found here: https://www.daytonbattleofthebands.com/official-rules
The application portal closes on December 12th!

Dayton Battle of the Bands Launches 6 Week Series

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The Dayton Battle of the Bands launches as a 6 week series, starting this week on January 14, 2020, running through February 25, 2020. The goal with this friendly competition is to shine light on new and upcoming bands in the Dayton area, while providing a prize package that helps launch them to their next level!

This new endeavor is a collaboration between The Brightside Music & Event Venue, Sound Valley, and Venus Child Productions. Carli Dixon, the owner and powerhouse behind The Brightside explained the motivation for this series: “Dayton has a long history of musical innovation, and we want to help elevate the next generation of Dayton talent.” For that reason, this competition is only open to bands and musical acts that have been performing (in their current entity) five years or less and are within a 35 mile radius of downtown Dayton.

Performing on The Brightside’s big stage in the Ballroom at the Sound Valley Winter Music Fest is part of the prize package for the Battle of the Band winner.

Twenty local acts were selected by a judge’s panel, with genres ranging from hip hop to metal, and from Americana to electronic originals.  The prize package for the winner includes an EP session with famed sound engineer Patrick Himes at Reel Love Recording Studio, a music video with Sound Valley, professional photo shoot with Mike Jones, and a premiere spot on the big stage at The Brightside for the Sound Valley Winter Music Festival. Along with support from those professionals, WYSO 91.3 FM and Prime Time Party Rental are sponsoring this first year’s competition.

Week 1 kicks off on January 14th and continues every Tuesday evening through February 25, 2020, which is when the finals will be held. In case of in-climate weather, February 18th will be used as a make up date. See full schedule and details on how to go below:

How to Go:

Where: The Brightside at 905 E 3rd St Dayton 45402

When: Week 1- Jan 14, 2020 / Week  2 – Jan 21, 2020 / Week 3 – Jan 28, 2020 / Week 4 – Feb 4, 2020 / Week 5 – Feb 11, 2020 / Week 6 – Rain date make up on Feb 18, 2020 (if needed) / Finals – Feb 25, 2020

Time: Doors 7pm, music starts promptly at 7:40 after some announcements

Cost: $5 advance tickets via https://www.soundvalleydayton.com/events/ – OR $10 at the door

Schedule: Band 1 – 7:40pm / Band 2 – 8:20 / Band 3 – 9:00 / Band 4 – 9:40
Music ends at 10pm. Winner announced at 10:30

All ages welcome! Handicapped accessible. On site parking available.

NOTE: Due to the volume of participants, there will be no friends and family guest list.

 

Dayton Battle of the Bands Announced for 2020

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Dayton is well known for our impressive history of pushing musical boundaries, from the invention of Funk to the incalculable influence of early 90s alternative bands Guided by Voices and The Breeders. As a new decade launches, a group of Dayton music enthusiasts are joining forces to launch the next generation of local music. 

Local music promoter Libby Ballengee (of Venus Child Productions) recently partnered with The Brightside, a new mid-size, multi-purpose event venue located in downtown Dayton. “I was so excited when The Brightside opened because there was finally a place downtown that could hold 500 person concerts. It’s the perfect size for grassroots promoters like me.” 

The key assets of The Brightside are its enormous stage and top-notch sound engineers. It’s a quality experience for performers and the audience alike. However, for new bands, it’s a big leap in cost and attendance to get up on that big stage. Ballengee felt bad about having to turn away inquiries, and sought a way to support new bands looking for a break. 

In conversations with fellow promoter and ticketing agent Zac Pitts from Sound Valley Dayton, and The Brightside’s owner Carli Dixon, Ballengee realized that they shared a mutual vision for the future of Dayton’s music community. Given Dayton’s rich musical history and impressive talent pool, how could they support the next generation of Dayton musical innovators?

The idea for a Dayton Battle of the Bands rose to the surface. Many Daytonians remember Canal Street Tavern’s Dayton Band Playoffs, although some like Pitts, were a bit too young to attend himself. While inspired by the idea, the group wants to use the platform of a competition to be more of an incubator for new bands. Bands will receive feedback from music industry experts during the playoff rounds, and the winner will get a full promotional package to take them to the next level.

The winner of Dayton Battle of the Bands will perform on the ballroom stage at The Brightside, among other prizes. PHOTO BY LIBBY BALLENGEE.

On December 6th, 2019, a call for submissions will begin via daytonbattleofthebands.com. Bands or musical acts of any genre, that have been established 5 years or less and within a 35 mile radius of downtown Dayton are eligible to apply. There is no fee to apply or perform. Online registration opens December 6, 2019 and closes on December 22, 2019.

There is one more informational sessions for bands to get more information about the competition on Tuesday,  December 17th. A band representative MUST attend one of these sessions to show proof of residency and to review how competition will work. Bands have a few days after the December meeting to complete their online registration.

Twenty bands will be selected by a review process by local judges, which includes Dr. Samuel N. Dorf, Associate Professor of Music at the University of Dayton, Tiffany Johnson, CEO of GigMerge and former VP of A&R for a Sony affiliate, Don Thrasher, longtime musician and journalist at the Dayton Daily News, among many others. 

Once the 20 participating bands are selected, they will be scheduled to perform a 20 minute set in The Brightside’s listening room, over a 5 week period January 14th, 2020 – February 11th, 2020 on Tuesday evenings. Four bands will play their best originals each week, the winners moving onto the finale will take place on February 25, 2020. Bands proceeding to the finals are picked through an equal mix of audience and judge’s votes. The Final winner will be selected by audience votes only.

This is a wonderful promotional opportunity for all 20 bands that participate! The winner will receive a full promotional kit including their very own EP recording session with Reel Love Recording Studio, a music video by Sound Valley, a professional photo shoot, and a chance to play the BIG stage at The Brightside during the Sound Valley Winter Music Festival on Saturday March 7, 2020.

Exciting details and updates to come! For additional details follow: https://www.daytonbattleofthebands.com

NEXT EVENT:

Musician Open House and Dayton Battle of the Bands Sign Up

at The Brightside – 905 E 3rd St Dayton, OH

Tuesday December 17, 2019 from 6:30-8:30pm.

Free Admission!

 

West Carrollton Host the Battle of the Bands

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CP_43gpXAAEFb_pJim Bucher emcee’s the Battle between 3 bands, for a $275 grand prize – to be determined by a panel of three judges.

The bands, which will each perform for 30 minutes, include:

Ghetto Circus, a band from Louisville, Kentucky, that performs music ranging from classic rock to heavy metal. Band members include Kel Bowman, Jordyn Cunnagin and Ryan Slaton.

Jacob Shane & Company, a Dayton-based band that performs rock and blues. Band members include Jacob Shane, Sam Davis, Sarah Davis, Andy Couch, and Chris Cooney.

Out of the Attic, a local band that has been together for 18 years, and features classic rock & roll along with contemporary rock. Band members include Joel Frydman, Jon Vargas, Ed Buffington, Keith Browning, Mark Harman, Chris Drake, Katharyn Kendall and Lyn Morton.

By Way of Sunstorm wins Tattooed TV Battle of the Bands

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On Saturday night a massive crowd packed the interior and patio of Blind Bob’s (and a good bit of 5th Street in front of the venue) for the finals of the first ever TattooedTV Battle of the Bands.  Originally designed to be a competition between three bands, previously eliminated Ludlow Falls was invited to come back onto the bill for the finals as a wild card.  Once the show and the voting was over, here’s how things stacked up:

1st Place: By Way of Sunstorm

2nd Place: God Bless and Asher Jones

3rd Place: Ludlow Falls

4th place: Black Cloud Syndrome