By Joy Grace Webb
Contributing Writer
Samford students are notoriously talented individuals, but when they come together, they become sensational. Working so closely with students, the Samford Activities Council knows this better than anyone else. For a year now, the SAC has been working tirelessly to bring the Battle of the Bands to life as a way to encourage collaboration between students and to cultivate musical interest on campus. The winning band will be awarded the coveted spot as the opened of Your School, Your City in fall 2019.
“We’ve been working on this event all year and are extremely excited to possibly start a new tradition on campus,” said SAC Director of Musical Entertainment Stephen DeFrancesco
The competition will take place in the newly renovated University Center’s Harry’s Coffee House, as a part of Summer Send-Off. While students are encouraged to compete with a band, individual artists can compete as well. Directors of SAC encourage any and all unsigned area artists to apply for a shot at being one of the bands that will compete live.
The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 15 by 5 p.m. Submissions can be in in video or audio (SoundCloud, YouTube, MP3 file etc.) and should be sent to sacsamford@gmail.com. Notifications will begin Thursday, April 18. Finalists will play a 20-minute set list on Thursday, May 2 for a live audience at the Battle of the Bands, starting at 7 p.m.
Students not competing can judge on who will open the Your School, Your City concert in fall of 2019. Voting amongst the audience will take place after every band has competed. Students must attend the event to vote for their favorite band and are therefore encouraged to mark their calendars for a night full of Samford’s finest talent. The event is completely free to Samford students, so there is no reason not to come out and support fellow Bulldogs.
“I am expecting this to become an exciting event that will encourage students to get together and make music together,” DeFrancesco said. “I hope the turnout will be great, and I think the competition will be very close. I am looking forward to students competing together for this chance to play at Your School, Your City.”
For more information, contact Stephen DeFrancesco at sdefranc@samford.edu.
