Image via Rockonsin
ROCKONSIN turns 17th this year. The youth garage band competition showcasing only Wisconsin 7th–12th grade bands of all musical genres is open now to applicants.
To qualify, all band members must be attending a Wisconsin public, private, charter, virtual or home school during the current school year. Produced by Dennis Graham Associates, with the Madison Area Music Association (MAMA), ROCKONSIN is the only program of its kind in the nation.
Intense and energetic, Negative/Positive was the winner of the 2020 Rockonsin competition with the heavy sludge sounds of Flying Fuzz taking the runner-up spot.
There is no registration fee or any associated costs. Deadline for applications is July 15, 2021.
Twelve statewide garage bands will be selected to each play a 15-minute set at Summerfest. All bands must be available to play in Milwaukee on the date assigned to perform. Bands can perform cover or original songs.
The winning band and runner-up, as judged by music industry professionals, will each win a second Summerfest 45-minute performance showcase at The Big Gig 2021.
The winner and runner-up will also get a free professional recording session at Madison’s Blast House Studios (12 hours for the winning band and eight hours for the runner-up.) Bands must use their recording time within one year and with the original band.
Each of the 12 finalists will receive two Shure microphones (one vocal and one instrument) with cords. The winning band will also receive a Shure vocal wireless microphone.
