2024 Rockonsin application period open, March 1-April 30
MADISON, Wis. - ROCKONSIN, the only statewide youth music competition program of its kind in the nation, is back for 2024.
2024 ROCKONSIN invites all statewide 7th – 12th grade Badger State garagebands, of any musical genre, to apply by sending in a one song (cover or original) video of their band’s performance.
Bands can sign up and apply free beginning March 1 at rockonsin.org and can run off a free application poster. Three music industry professionals will review and score out all band application videos to determine the Top 10 State Finalist bands invited to Summerfest for the finals competition.
- Each of the Top 10 State Finalist bands selected will receive two Shure microphones (one vocal & one instrument mic each with cords) and will perform 20-minute showcase sets.
One State Finalist band will perform at the Waukesha Rotary BluesFest on Aug. 9.
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The winning band will also receive from Shure a wireless vocal microphone system.
- The winning and runner-up bands will each receive a second 45-minute showcase gig at Summerfest. Each winning band member will also receive a ROCKONSIN Award.
- The top two bands will also each receive a professional recording session at Madison’s Blast House Studios (12 hours for the winner and 8 hours for the runner-up).
Key 2024 ROCKONSIN features:
- There is NO registration fee; never any associated costs to participate.
- The 10 State Finalist bands will each perform a 20-minute showcase set.
- A band can be a combination of Wisconsin students in 7th - 12th grade. All band members must be enrolled in a Wisconsin public, private, virtual, charter or home school during the 2023/2024 school year.
- The band must be comprised of two or more musicians, one member of the band must be a vocalist.
Each band member of the 10 State Finalist bands selected must submit a school document verifying the Wisconsin school they are attending; more information can be found at rockonsin.org. You do not need to submit a school document when applying, this is ONLY required if your band is chosen as a state finalist.
- Each band will be asked to submit one video (bands should not incur the expense of professionally videotaping their song – using a smartphone or a hand held video camera will do the trick) of the band performing either one cover or original song and submitting a link to that video, in addition to filling out their band application at rockonsin.org. Bands should video close enough so that one can see the band members actually playing or singing; and include the songwriting credit and lyrics.
The 2024 ROCKONSIN State Finals two-day competition will be conducted June 28 & June 29 (12:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.; five bands each day) on the Aurora Pavilion Stage at Summerfest during its festival run held over three weeks (June 20 - 22; June 27 - 29; July 4 - 6). Each of the 10 ROCKONSIN State Finalist bands will perform a 20-minute showcase set.
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The 2024 winning and runner-up bands will win a second Summerfest gig performing a 45-minute set each on July 6 on the Aurora Pavilion Stage at The Big Gig (runner-up: 12:45 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.; winner: 2 p.m. -2:45 p.m.).