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Ruritan Club's Battle of the Bands aimed at teen concert-goers
The club will sponsor a Battle of the Bands competition from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, July 18 at the American Legion, 345 Legion Dr., in Warrenton.
With six local bands set to take the stage, the event is the club's second attempt to offer a concert for area teenagers.
The Ruritan Club has always done things for young people, said club member and concert organizer Conrad Reid, noting the club’s contributions of scholarships for graduating high school seniors and donations to the local Boys and Girls Club.
“About three months ago, John [Wayland, club member] said there was nothing for teens to do during the summer. I had heard about Battle of the Bands concerts before and asked the club for permission to try to get it started,” Reid said, adding that the club gave him about $550 to launch the project.
Turnout was low at an inaugural concert in June, but organizers hope that they'll have better response this go around.
“I learned I had to do a different kind of advertising,” Reid said. With the help of Rose Castelli, daughter of club president Frank Castelli, and concert promoter Tom Drerenberger, Reid has reached out to teens on MySpace and Facebook. He’s visited with church youth groups and put up fliers around the county. Many of the bands are also well-versed in self-promotion and will likely bring out a nice crowd to hear their music.
Admission is $7. The Hint, Love and Reverie, The Cardboard Cutouts, Boo Radley and the Abominable Pizza Delivery Guy, Matt Booth, and Kayla Pence will perform.
The Hint, Reid said, typically gets paid for performances, but has agreed to play for no charge this weekend as a favor to Drerenberger, who will celebrate a birthday this weekend.
“We need, like other groups, to get ourselves out there so that kids will want to be Ruritans. The life of any cub is new blood,” Reid said, adding that 60-65 percent of club members are over the age of 60.
“Hopefully, this time, we’ll have a bigger crowd,” Reid said.
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