Last night, round one of the Road to Bonnaroo took place at Nashville’s Mercy Lounge. It’s a battle of the bands style competition, where a panel of judges decide the final vote based on what kind of a performance a band is able to cook up with just a few songs, and what bands appeared to be the crowd favorites. Over thirty Tennessee bands (mostly from the Nashville area) are competing for four spots to perform at this summer’s Bonnaroo Music Festival, on one of the smaller cafe stages.
Last night’s competition featured alternative/indie rock from Heypenny, MONA and Parachute Musical; classic rock from Ponderosa; singer/songwriter Kyle Andrews; rock bands The Privates, Moon Taxi and Born Empty. But it was the Non-Commissioned Officers, a six-piece indie rock outfit, who ultimately stole the show and won round one, thanks to a “tight set and good use of the video screen.”
To read about one writer’s very critical perspective on how the whole thing went down, check out the Nashville Cream blog here.
The remaining three rounds take place over the next three months, featuring quite a handful and variety of bands in each round. Here’s the remaining schedule:
March 22
Brenn
Hillbilly Casino
How I Became the Bomb
Modoc
The Silver Seas
Tristen
Pico vs. Island Trees
The Kicks
April 19
AutoVaughn
Dozen Dimes
Leslie
Majestico
Mikky Ekko
Nobility
The Effects
Caitlin Rose
May 17
Cassino
Cortney Tidwell
Delta Saints
Heartbeater
Space Capone
Tesla Rossa
My Tyger
Cheer Up Charlie Daniels
Congratulations to the Non-Commissioned Officers, and good luck to all the band’s competing in this year’s Road to Bonnaroo! See you in June!