The annual “Friday Night Fight” music competition kicks off Friday, giving singers and bands a chance to earn prize money and the chance to perform at a couple of live events.
The contest is hosted by Townsquare Media Owensboro in partnership with Friday After 5 and the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center. Acts compete for $1,500, and the winner will perform at Friday After 5 on August 2 at the Larry Maglinger Overlook Stage and at the Dock Trot at Lake Malone in Muhlenberg County on September 14.
A panel of WBKR Friday Night Fight judges will choose eight finalists from the pool of contestants at the audition on June 21. Those eight finalists will advance to the final event on July 12.
Finalists will prepare three songs at the finale, and the eight contestants will compete in bracket-style elimination.
After each round, the judges will provide live performance feedback and declare a winner to advance to the next round. The finale will continue until a winner has been crowned.
Registration is open until June 21 and must be done here.
There are 20 spots available for auditions, which are open to any group interested as long as they meet the following qualifications:
- Contestants must be 13 years of age by August 2, 2024.
- Participants must audition at the preliminary qualifying event, which will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Ruoff Party Stage on the Pier at the Owensboro Convention Center.
- Participants must also provide their own accompaniment. Friday After 5 is a live music event, so CDs, MP3 devices, etc., are strictly prohibited. All performers must be accompanied by live instrumentation.
- WBKR’s Friday Night Fight is open to solo acts, duos, small ensembles and bands. The contest will use the “house” sound system at the Ruoff Party Stage, so everything must be plug-and-play. Amps are prohibited at auditions, and drum sets are prohibited during the audition process, though a single snare, bongo, or beatbox is allowed.
- Owners, employees, servants, or agents of WBKR, Friday After 5 and other sponsors or relatives or family members of such owners, officers, directors, employees, servants, or agents are not eligible to participate in WBKR’s Friday Night Fight. Past champions of WBKR’s Friday Night Fight are prohibited from competing.
Organizers emphasize there are no exceptions to the rules in either the audition or finale process. Failure to adhere to the rules could result in immediate disqualification from the contest.
