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The first ‘Rock the Patch’ battle kicks off at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, at That Meetball Place. The winner will get that much closer to getting to play at Alive After Five in Patchogue this summer.
But Wednesday is just the beginning of the semi-final rounds, as a total of 16 bands are seeking to be the one picked for what’s become Long Island’s hottest summer street festival.
Four more bands will be battling Thursday night, May 19, at the Village Idiot Pub.
Then, there are two more Rock the Patch semi-final events next week: Wednesday, May 25, at Bobbique, and Thursday, May 26, at BrickHouse Brewery.
The winning band from each installment will play in the finals June 2 at 89 North Music Venue.
Click here for a full schedule and list of bands.
The ultimate winner will play on the coveted Blue Point Stage on July 7 at Alive After Five.
Rock the Patch, while showcasing local talent, also functions as a fundraiser for chief organizer Patchogue-Medford Youth & Community Service, which offers free camps, classes, after-school activities and more for area youth.
About 30 bands play at the four Alive After Five events each year, said Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce executive director David Kennedy. Those bands are typically booked through the bars and restaurants.
The Chamber, which runs Alive After Five, is also helping organize the Battle of the Bands, as is 89 North Music Venue, Fishbat Media and Creative Collaborations NY graphic design.
Kennedy has said the most frequent inquiry at the Chamber of Commerce office is from a band looking to play Alive After Five.
“I want these bands that are contacting us to feel like they’re getting a fair shot,” he previously said.
