Young musicians will have the chance to step into the spotlight for an upcoming event put on by the Santa Fe Boys and Girls Club. The ‘Battle of the Bands’ seeks to give young artists in the area an opportunity to win prize money and valuable first-hand experience.
Jacob Abeyta is with the Boys and Girls Club. As a musician himself, he can’t stress enough how important live performances are for jump-starting musical careers.
“As a band or musician, if you’re trying to turn this into a profession or business, you really have to get out in front of people and perform," Abeyta said. "If you can draw a crowd– Even, let’s say, you’re just setting up your guitar on the Plaza or whatever playing for tips, you can really make a lot of money that way.”
Abeyta pointed out that his first experience performing live on stage was at this exact event a few years ago.
The Battle of the Bands will be held at the Boys & Girls Clubs Zona location in Santa Fe on Saturday, July 10th.
And, did I mention there’s prize money for the winners? Top prizes of $300-$500 will be awarded to the winning artists in the three categories– band, solo, and hip hop/rap.
Applications to participate are due by June 30th. They must be submitted via email by 5pm, along with a musical demo. Kids aged 13 to 18 are encouraged to apply.
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Applications can be sent via email to: sgettler@bgcsantafe.org