Published 3/20/2008
By EMILY BEHLMANN
Click Photo to Purchase Photo Reprints!
ebehlmann@gctelegram.com
The lights come up, the crowd roars, the guitarist strikes his first chord.
You're at a STYX concert, but before the world famous rock group takes the stage, you're on.
An opportunity to open for STYX, coming to Garden City Sept. 6, is the prize for the winner of a Battle of the Bands to be held in Garden City from 6 to 11 p.m. April 26 at the Clarion Inn.
The event is part of Mosaic's Run, Rock 'n' Roll, which also includes a health expo and pasta bar buffet on April 25, and a marathon, half marathon, 5-kilometer walk/run and 1-mile walk/run on April 26.
Mosaic is a nonprofit social ministry organization affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that serves people with disabilities. Proceeds from the Run, Rock 'n' Roll event go to fund the organization's services.
The lineup for the Battle of the Bands will include nine musical groups that could come from anywhere in the nation, according to battle co-chairman Bill Knight, of Segue Sound Co. A panel of judges will listen to audition tapes to select the nine groups that will appear, he said.
The performances will alternate between two different stages, with each band allotted 20 minutes.
Appearing in the April 26 show is in itself a good opportunity, Knight said, as those interested in booking bands for other events are likely to be in attendance.
The winner of the night will be selected through ballots submitted by audience members, plus input from judges, he said. The selected band will appear on concert publicity materials and will have a spot on stage at the STYX concert, according to Mosaic.
"That's a dream of a lot of bands, to be in front of a huge crowd, great big lights and a sound system," Knight said. "It's a dream that really doesn't rear its head in this neck of the woods very often."
STYX, formed in 1970, currently includes Tommy Shaw, James Young, Todd Sucherman, Lawrence Gowan, Ricky Phillips and Chuck Panozzo. Over the group's career, STYX has charted 25 top-100 singles, including eight top-10 singles.
The Garden City stop is part of its World Tour.
Bands can enter for a spot in the Battle of the Bands by submitting the entry form at the event Web site,
Run Rock 'N Roll, by midnight April 15. Forms also will be available soon at area music stores.
Tickets to the Battle of the Bands cost $10 and can be purchased at Mosaic, Clarion Inn and at the event Web site. Also available at the Web site is further information about the Run, Rock 'n' Roll marathon and other events.
Details on the STYX concert in September are yet to be announced.