Registration Open for Battle of the Bands

Are you ready to rise up and rock? The 2013 Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands is searching for the band whose rock rules supreme to benefit the East Durham Children's Initiative. The EDCI has a revolutionary approach to creating a pipeline of services to children, from cradle to college and career, to improve lives and communities. So get ready, because the rock is coming.

EARLY BIRD BAND ENTRY DEADLINE: May 15, 2013
THE BATTLE: September 21, 2013
RAIN DATE: September 22, 2013
Location: American Tobacco Campus - Durham

Durham advertising powerhouse McKinney produces this event.  The pick the best band, and the most creative.  The latter will be judged on things like mixing genres, unconventional ways of playing instruments, and even remixes of familiar songs.

Proceeds from the show will benefit the East Durham Children's Initiative. Founded in 2008, EDCI's goal is to change the expectations and outcome for youth in a 120-block area in East Durham. The nonprofit provides early childhood interventions, family support, after school and arts and summer programs.

There is a discount for early registration, so bands interested in participating can save a few dollars by registering early. Companies and organizations without bands can sponsor the event and get information about doing so on the event website.

Learn more about the music scene in Durham online.

McKinney Invites Triangle Business to Sixth Battle of the Bands

Durham is full of creativity.  In fact, it's home to the largest advertising agency in the Southeast, McKinney. Turns out, those folks also have a decidedly musical streak, and they get the urge to scratch that itch 'bout once a year.

This year, McKinney’s Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands gets in touch with its classical side by turning Beethoven lovers into headbangers, Mozart fans into metalheads and symphony-goers into stage divers. McKinney is calling all Triangle businesses to volunteer their musical talents for the sixth Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands, returning Saturday, September 22, 2012. McKinney’s sixth Battle since 2006 will showcase bands from around the Triangle for one night of corporate rock ‘n’ roll on the American Tobacco Campus lawn.

Why the classical twist? All proceeds from the Battle will benefit KidZNotes, a nonprofit organization that fights poverty and encourages positive decision making by instructing and engaging children in classical orchestral music. KidZNotes serves children in the poorest neighborhoods in East Durham where elementary schools are the lowest-performing in the city with a long-term goal of creating quality youth orchestras around the state.

“KidZNotes and the arts help level the economic playing field for the neediest of children,” said McKinney Chief Operating Officer Joni Madison. “We were so impressed with the great work they are doing in East Durham that we wanted to connect them with local corporations and businesses through the 2012 Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands.”

“We’re thrilled to be part of the Battle this year. Our kids, who are young budding musicians, will see that music can be an important part of your life always,” said KidZNotes Executive Director Katie Wyatt. “Almost anytime I ask any professional in nearly any field if they’ve ever played an instrument, the answer is yes. The skills and the passion for life and creativity found in the development of a child’s musical skills carry over into the skills they will need as successful students and professionals. The money raised from the event will go to our fast-growing program: We’ll enroll 200 kids who would not otherwise have the opportunity in our program of intense music and instrumental instruction, and build our orchestra to 200 for next year!”

Bands will be allowed entry into the Battle on a first-come, first-served basis. Bands that sign up before May 4 can take advantage of the “early bird special” and register at a reduced price. Each band must have a minimum of three members and a maximum of 10. Bands may have a member or members from a client or an associate company, but the majority of the band members must be on the company’s payroll.

Each year a panel of local celebrity judges and audience text voting determine which bands are rock gods and which are one-hit wonders. Past winners, in chronological order, include GlaxoSmithKline’s The Pharmers, Burt’s Bees’ The Beemones, Capitol Broadcasting Company’s Transmit This! Band from Beyond, McKinney’s Role Playaz and Quintiles’ Counting CROs.

Companies without a band who wish to show their support may participate via corporate sponsorship. Past sponsors of the Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands include McKinney, American Tobacco Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Smith Breeden, The News & Observer, VIP Nation, Time Warner Cable, Durham Performing Arts Center, Red Hat and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

For more information on more music related events in Durham, visit the Durham Event Calendar.

2011 Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands Projected to Be Biggest Yet

Nine corporate bands from across the Triangle will will rock out at the fifth Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands on Saturday, September 24, 2011, starting at 7:30 PM. Hosted by McKinney, this year’s Battle boasts a record number of bands and sponsors, all benefiting North Carolina Arts in Action. Since the 2006 inaugural Battle, more than 20 bands have taken to the American Tobacco stage to fight for the championship and have raised more than $300,000 for local charities.

“We have quite a few superlatives this year,” said McKinney COO Joni Madison. “The most corporate bands entering the competition, the most CEO rockers in the competition, the most corporate sponsors, as well as the most VIP tables. It promises to be the biggest, baddest corporate event in the Triangle.”

The 2011 Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands lineup includes the following:

ELSTER SOLUTIONS—Killa Watts
KEYSOURCE BANK—Shades of Blue
MCKIM & CREED—Creed’s Cleanwater Revival
QUINTILES—Counting CROs
SMT—Augmented Reality
SOUTHERN ENERGY MANAGEMENT—DC/AC
SUMMIT CONSULTING—Salt Bodyne
SUNTRUST BANK—Rock SOLID
ZENPH SOUND INNOVATIONS, INC.—Zenphomaniacs

North Carolina Arts in Action (NC AIA) is an organization designed to inspire children to develop discipline, self-confidence and a sense of achievement, reaching a high standard of excellence and love of the performing arts.

Along with band performances, the kids of NC AIA  will be performing a special routine. Other highlights of the evening include VIP table service from L’Uva, Tyler’s Taproom, Mellow Mushroom and Tobacco Road, raffle prizes and text-based voting to help determine the Battle winner.

The gold sponsors for this year’s Battle are American Tobacco, 8 Rivers Capital, The Herald Sun, Capitol Broadcasting Company and McKinney.

VIP tables are still available. For information on tickets and student prices, visit trianglebattle.com.

McKinney Invites the Triangle to a Pre-Battle of the Bands: The Glamabellum Ball

With the fifth Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands marching to the American Tobacco Campus this fall, McKinney announces the inaugural Glamabellum Ball. This magical summer event will be held in Durham on the American Tobacco Campus lawn Saturday, June 18, from 7–10 p.m. and is free to the public. Not just a pre-Battle of the Bands party, the Glamabellum Ball will be a fun, funky, faux-formal event with a masquerade theme, which means guests are invited to wear top hats and bloomers, but shorts and T-shirts are welcome. Come ready to decorate your own mask to wear during the evening, take a photo at the Glamabellum photo booth, compete in the sack race and dance as the sun sets over the Bull City.

The Glamabellum Ball features musical guests The Bibis Ellison Band. The band covers artists from Pat Benatar to Lady Gaga to Michael Jackson and, as reported by The Wilmington Star, is led by the “deeply soulful, powerhouse voice” of Bibis Ellison. Ellison, who was named “2010 Performer of the Year” by Encore Magazine, comes to the Triangle after years of dominating the music scene in Wilmington, NC. Her performance at the Downtown Sundown Concert Series kept the audience of thousands on their feet during a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Sign, Sealed, Delivered.” Expect nothing less from The Bibis Ellison Band on the night of the Glamabellum Ball.

“We wanted to start the countdown to the Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands in a fun, creative and musical way,” said Joni Madison, McKinney COO. “Our theme, Glamabellum, is a mashup of antebellum-era attire and glam rock style. We invite everyone to interpret that by making a fabulous fashion statement and enjoy dancing under the ATC water tower for a fun and memorable summer evening.”

"I'm really excited to be a part of the Glamabellum Ball. Before I started singing professionally, I taught music to young kids,” said Bibis Ellison. “I was fortunate to grow up with a fantastic music and arts education. It's something I believe in strongly and something I want to see thrive and grow. We couldn’t be happier to support a cause so close to our hearts by doing what we love most."

The beneficiary of the 2011 Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands, North Carolina Arts in Action (NC AIA), will also make a special appearance at the Glamabellum Ball. The kids of NC AIA have capitalized on a recent YouTube trend and will teach a Glamabellum group dance to the audience — flash mob style.

Throughout the night, a representative from each of the nine companies that have signed up for the Battle will take center stage to announce their band’s name. On September 24, these bands will take to the American Tobacco Campus stage for the fifth Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands. For more details about the charity event including information on sponsors, NC AIA and tickets, visit trianglebattle.com.