The Experience Music Project (EMP) today announced its finalists for the upcoming 2011 Sound Off! festival, the largest annual battle of the bands in the Pacific Northwest.
Now in its 10th Anniversary Year, Sound Off! 2011 will bring together 12 bands and one “wild-card” group from the semifinalist pool, all from Washington and British Columbia, and all competing for the coveted first place.
Prizes for the first place winner will include a highly coveted performance slot at Bumbershoot 2011, a live on-air performance on 107.7 The End’s The Young and the Restless, and gear from KORG and Epiphone. Second place will get to perform at Northwest Folklife 2011, and receive gear from KORG and Epiphone. Prizes for third place include a performance at the Gibson Seattle Showroom. All winners receive a consultation with The Recording Academy.
The following 12 finalist bands were selected out of a whopping 136 entries—a record for Sound Off! The elimination rounds will kick off in February 2011. Check out the show schedule here:
SEMIFINAL ROUND ONE—Saturday, February 12 at EMP’s Level 3
- Ambulance—Seattle, WA (rock)
- Northern Departure—Renton, WA (bluegrass)
- Tomten—Seattle, WA (rock/pop)
- Young Pacific—Coquitlam, BC (indie rock)
SEMIFINAL ROUND TWO—Saturday, February 19 at EMP’s Level 3
- Chinook Jargon—Seattle, WA (indie rock)
- Electricity and its Double—Seattle, WA (indie rock)
- Fit For Hounds—Seattle, WA (alternative)
- Kung Foo Grip—Kirkland, WA (hip hop)
SEMIFINAL ROUND THREE—Saturday, February 26 at EMP’s Level 3
- Kids and Animals—Seattle, WA (indie rock)
- Land of Pines—Seattle, WA (indie pop)
- Micah B.—Federal Way, WA (hip hop)
- The Oh Wells—Surrey, BC (folk pop)
FINAL ROUND—Saturday, March 5 at EMP’s Sky Church
The winning bands from the three semifinal rounds plus the “wild card” band (voted into the competition by EMP’s Youth Advisory Board, a group of diverse teens with a demonstrated passion for arts and music) battle it out for first place.
Find out more about Sound Off! 2011 here.