Music teachers Owen Kortz of Music World and Ryan Messling of Prairie High School — with support from the Clark County Family YMCA, Music World Stores, School of Rock Vancouver, Versa Events and Social Sound — will present the first Clark County Battle of the Bands event for teens at 6 p.m. May 31 in the amphitheater at Columbia Tech Center Park in east Vancouver.
The concert will feature a lineup of 10 Clark County high school bands covering a range of styles including rock, pop, folk, traditional or cultural music, hip-hop, electronic and country. The winners will receive prizes valued at $2,500, from gear gift cards to recording studio time and music scholarships. Judges include local music industry professionals Aram Arslanian, Jessica Lindsay and Taylor Miranda, who will select the winner based on musical talent, stage presence and crowd engagement. The deadline to submit an application is April 27. Bands must have at least two members ages 13-18 enrolled in high school in a public, private, online GED or home-school program. At least one member of the band must reside in Clark County or be enrolled in a Clark County high school.
Each band will perform three songs. At least one of them must be original. Lyrics must be appropriate for all ages. Applications should include links to performance videos and social media accounts. Applications and additional information are available at instagram.com/clarkcountybattleofthebands.
