I could use some ideas.

[Darin]

For the 3rd year, I'm hosting a Christian Battle of the Bands. It all started off innocently enough. Some bands getting together for fun and a little friendly competition. It quickly grew to more than that. This year, I started accepting entries in Jan, the event is April 25th. Within 2 weeks I had all 15 bands (that I could take) signed up, and from 4 states. And couple more still hoping to get in. Last year we had about 300 people show up. This year will be even bigger. I give away a little money and trophies, but it's all pretty smalltown, relatively speaking. A recording studio has offered recording time to the winner which is very cool. For the Christian music world, there really isn't a lot of venues available. So when something like this comes up, it's an opportunity for fellow Christians to get together and play music. But, with so much interest, it just seems like there more opportunity to be squeezed out of this. My main goal is to promote and encourage young musicians to put down the game controller and the cell phone and pick up their guitar.

A crazy goal would be to make this regional, maybe bigger and ultimately leading to a deal with a Christian record company for the winner. But, that's a lot to hope for. Crazier things have happened and you just never know what the future holds.

Anyway, check it out.

http://christianbattleofthebands.com

[Hikey Mikey]

Sounds like your ideas are working just fine all on their own.

If you want to go that route, to expand and get bigger, copyright the name "Christian Battle of the Bands" or whatever name you actually decide to name it, and retain an agent.

If you get five hundred this year, and everybody enjoys it and brings a friend next year, and so on, you will be talking about a big venue in a couple of years. I don't need to tell you that there's a big market for Christian music. Good luck and God bless!

[screamndemon69]

Nice to hear about positive community activities starting at a grassroots level. Kudos to you Darin.

To expand what you already have going you could stretch the event out over multiple weekends until you get down to a semi-finals and finals. You would be able to add a lot more bands that way.

~Bones

[DJR]

If you haven't already, get some sponsors on board. I'm sure manufacturers, retail outlets, labels, etc would get involved regardless of event size. Plus they could contribute further with prizes. Regional Battle of the Bands type events here in England always attract plenty of sponsorships, especially from music related industries, be it manufacturers, wholesale/distributors or retailers, and they usually contribute band gear etc as prizes. Sounds like you have a great thing going, congrats! Keep up the excellent work

[Darin]

Originally Posted by DJR

If you haven't already, get some sponsors on board.

We do get some "sponsorship". We are able to give away alot of stuff through the day. A local music shop "might" be giving me in Ibanez Gio. Which if it ends up in the right hands, will start someone on their quest to become a musician. If we get it to give away, I'm playing on playing a short instrumental noodly tune with a track with it. I think that might make the guitar seem a bit cooler. At least I think it might. Most people don't know what it is and the winner of the drawing that gets it will be happy. We also give away alot of shirts and CD's.

[Pursuit]

Used in the right hands and with the right stuff, a GIO Ibanez actually does excellently with Christian music.

Mine can quite easily handle anything Hillsong and Planetshakers (two large Christian church bands in Australia) put out there.

I think this Christian battle of the bands idea is a good one. There might be churches around your area who would be willing to help out?

[Pursuit]

Not sure where this idea has gone since thread stopped Darin, but I've made a thread about Planetshakers.

Just type "Planetshakers" in search and it will appear alongside this thread.