Official Rules

You must read and understand the rules prior to registering your band. These rules were formed and refined from running this event over the course of many years. If it’s in here, you can usually bet that it was an issue/point of contention at one point.
All rules, regulations, voting, judging and procedures are ©2019 MOKB Presents. Unauthorized duplication or replication in whole, or in part, is a violation of applicable laws.

2019-2020 BATTLE OF THE BANDS OFFICIAL RULES
Entry Fee: $50
*Entry Fee is returned to your band at the completion of your 1st Round Performance. If your band cancels or withdraws, the fee will not be refunded.

WHO CAN ENTER:
  1. Any type of musical act.
  2. Band members must be at least 18 years old. No Exceptions. You must be at least 18 years old by the night of your performance. Performers under the age of 21 must follow an additional set of restrictions on the night of their performance, see below.
  3. This event is open to Indiana bands only. At least two members of your band must reside in Indiana. If you are a solo performer, you must reside in Indiana.
  4. Proof of residency will be required at the registration meeting.

WHO CAN NOT ENTER:
  1. Full Time employees of HI-FI and MOKB Presents. 
  2. Out of state bands

REGISTRATION:
  1. You MUST register via the band sign up form via MOKBPresents.com. There is a sign up form on this website for you to complete in order to be entered.
  2. All registration fees must be paid online through Eventbrite. No cash or check payments are accepted.
  3. If you do not register, you will not be allowed to participate in the event. Once the registration deadline has passed, no additional bands will be added.
  4. Registration will be announced soon. Subscribe to the mailing list to be notified of updates. Once the bracket is filled, all subsequent bands will be added to the waitlist.

REGISTRATION NIGHT
  1. All confirmed registrants must attend Registration Night which will be held on Wednesday September 11 at HI-FI.  This night will provide a review of the rules and regulations, then host a blind draw for the first round lineups that night.
  2. All registration fees will be paid online through Eventbrite. No cash or check payments are accepted.
  3. You must have your driver’s license and proof of Indiana residency with you on Registration Night.
  4. This is a 21+ event. If you do not have 2 members over 21 to attend, notify us and we will make accommodations.
  5. To Recap: You must register online AND attend the Registration Night.

ROUNDS (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
  1. All Battle nights are scheduled on Wednesdays
  2. The first round of the Battle of the Bands will begin on Wednesday, October 2, 2019.
  3. The competition will be set up tournament bracket style. There will be up to 6 bands performing each night. For example, if band drops out and a waitlist replacement band is not able to be added in time.
  4. Only two bands from each first round Battle will advance to the Semifinals. Bands advancing to the Semifinals may be shifted to a different date than shown in the  bracket, due to schedule availability and/or organizer’s discretion.
  5. Battle nights may also be held on additional days. Due to concert schedules, weather and number of bands entering the event organizers reserve the right to adjust the schedule and days as needed.
  6. Semifinal Round will consist of up to 6 bands per night and up to 2 bands from each semifinal night will advance to the finals. The semifinal rounds may be adjusted depending on the number of bands entering.
  7. The Finals will be held at The Vogue on Saturday, February 15, 2020. The number of acts in the finals will vary between four and eight acts, depending on the number of entries.

VOTING & JUDGING:
  1. In all rounds: A combination of Audience plus Judges votes determine the winner(s).
  2. Audience Votes: Each paid admission will receive one ballot. On each ballot you must vote for three bands from that night’s performance. (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place). Any ballot with only one or two bands listed or any bands listed more than once, will be void and not included in the vote counts. NO EXCEPTIONS!
  3. Judges Votes: Each night there will be up to 3 judges. Judges are pre-selected members of the local music community – in some cases from the music industry. Examples include: Record Labels, Journalists, Record Store Owners, Booking Agents, Instrument Manufacturers, club promoters, etc. Judges will rotate weekly. If a judge has a relationship with a band or band member, they will not be allowed to participate in that evening’s event.
  4. The identity of the judges is protected until the Finals are complete. Judges ballots are not available for review.
  5. In the event of a tie score, the band that receives the greater number of first place votes from the audience, will advance. If there is still a tie, the amount of 2nd place votes will determine who advances.
  6. Any ballot suspected of forgery, malfeasance or is not legible will be voided at the organizers discretion.
  7. Audience ballots will be available for inspection the following business day the MOKB Presents offices. Ballots are only eligible for review by band/band members participating in that prior evening’s event, by the judges or by the local media. General public are ineligible to review the ballots. Reviews must be conducted in the MOKB Presents office with a member of our staff present.
  8. Each band will receive a 25 minute set. You should pre-plan your sets accordingly. Set-times are strictly enforced.
  9. Point Deductions: For each minute your band plays over the 25 minute allotted time slot, you will be deducted 50 points. This is a substantial deduction and could drastically change the night’s outcome. If you play 5 or more minutes over your 25 minute set-time, you are immediately disqualified, and subject to the stage manager grabbing you with the hook.
  10. Bands are limited to only 1 “one” cover song per set. A parody is considered a cover. Any performance including even a small section from a cover or parodied song, is considered a cover. For example, in The Fuglees song, “Get The Fuck Off The Stage”, there is a small musical interlude borrowing from the Lynyrd Skynyrd song “Sweet Home Alabama”. That small section of music would count as The Fuglees cover, and they would be disqualified by playing any more covers, or sectional covers of a song.
  11. In the event of a challenge regarding a cover song the judges and Battle manager will have the final call. This is an original music competition. 1 COVER LIMIT!!! NO EXCEPTIONS. If you have any questions about the validity of your performance with respect to the cover situation, contact MOKB Presents IN ADVANCE.
  12. Attention Hip Hop acts: Only hip hop acts with original songs will be accepted. The one cover rule still applies. You DO NOT have to have a live DJ. You ARE permitted to bring pre-recorded music, and essentially “press play”. It is up to the voters whether or not your “performance” is worthy of advancing to the next round.
  13. “The Beat Issue”: Is a “sample” considered a cover? Yes. If you have Ludacris’ beat in your song, and you wrote original lyrics for the performance, that is your cover, and you are not allowed another one. Outside of your one permitted cover/sample, you must perform with original beats.
  14. The final outcome of the evening will be weighted by 62.5% audience vote / 37.5% judges vote. This percentage is derived in the following way. After points are tallied for the audience vote, the resulting order will be factored in as the “fourth judge”. The combined results from the three judges, and this fourth “audience” judge yields the overall results for the judges vote. In this way, the audience technically has 62.5% weight in its vote, leaving 37.5% for the three judges.
  15. We will tally the votes each evening and announce who advances. The results will be read from the stage roughly 30 minutes after the final performance, or as long as it takes to tally the final results. We will post the final results on our website the following day.

PRODUCTION ON BATTLE NIGHTS:
  1. All bands and equipment must arrive at HI-FI during the designated load in time period noted in your advance (usually 5:30-6:00pm) for load in. You must be on time. The official standard for time is the stage clock at HI-FI. All of the events times are run from this clock. (Suggestion: Take note of this registration night, and synchronize your watch with the stage clock) There are NO excuses for being late. Traffic, flat tires, temporary incarceration, etc., are not acceptable and should be planned for accordingly. Please don’t beg. The rules couldn’t be any clearer.
  2. You ARE permitted to have a sole representative for your band present the band in during the load in period PROVIDED that representative is IN THE BAND, and has loaded in ALL of your equipment. When we say ALL, we mean ALL equipment. Anything less, and you are subject to disqualification.
  3. When you register, you will be asked to fill out the names of each member of your band. On the night of your performance, you must have ONLY the members that you listed in registration, and ALL the members you listed in registration, perform. HOWEVER, if you would like to make a change to your lineup for your performance, that change is subject to approval by MOKB Presents PRIOR to your performance. The earlier you notify us of this change the better. For instance, you have fired your bassist after you registered, and you have found a replacement. That change must be cleared by MOKB Presents prior to your performance or you are subject to immediate disqualification. Another example: you want to add a keyboard player to your band, and he wasn’t listed in your registration line-up, if you notify us in advance, that will be subject to approval. If you don’t notify us, no keyboard player. These rules are here for a reason to keep the event fair and from bands stacking the deck in their favor with guest performers or becoming a 15 piece band on show night to garner more votes.
  4. Drawing for the evening’s set times will be held promptly at 6 PM. Again, we strongly encourage ALL band members to be present by 6 PM, because if you draw the first slot, you will be sound-checking immediately. If you miss sound-check, you will sound bad, and there will be nothing even the legendary Wes Heaton can do about it.
  5. Any band that has not arrived at HI-FI by 5:30 PM will be placed last in the order for that night. Any band that has not arrived by 5:45 PM will be disqualified from the Battle of the Bands. Again, there are no exceptions to this rule, the cut off is promptly at 5:45 PM. You can guarantee the staff, organizers and the other bands are watching the clock.
  6. There are 20 minute set-changes allotted. In the event that a set-change runs into the bands scheduled time due to technical difficulties, the following time slots will be adjusted and you will get your full 25 minute time slot. If the set change runs long as a result of an elaborate stage setup, it is at the discretion of the stage manager to either allow the full 25 minutes, or to start the clock before you are ready. We are very good about getting bands on and off, but it behooves you to clear any concerns about your setup with the stage manager PRIOR to your performance. No banners or backdrops.
  7. Each band must sign a performance contract which stipulates club rules and regulations. Violation of anything on this contract will automatically disqualify your band from the competition.
  8. There is NO guest list. There are no roadies, guitar techs, spouses/significant others, high school buddies or co-workers. (Band members only!). With that said, other than actual performers, there is NO ONE permitted in the backstage green room area. Additionally, band hospitality is strictly for band members only. Anyone caught giving band beer to audience members or anyone other than members of their band will be disqualified from the competition
  9. All bands must use HI-Fi’s sound and light engineers. No exceptions.
  10. Each night there will be a stage manager to assist with set-up and tear-down for each band. The stage manager has the final word on all time challenges.
  11. Production information and specifics for the finals at The Vogue will be advanced with the 6 finalist bands prior to the Finals.

EQUIPMENT:
  1. Equipment Provided Each Night: 5 piece drum kit, 3 cymbal stands, hi-hat stand, snare drum (snare stand provided) and single bass drum pedal, all mics and mic cables.
  2. The use of the provided drum kit is mandatory. If you would like to add to the kit you may do so. Please notify the stage manager at check-in about your intentions.
  3. You need to bring: Cymbals (you may want to bring an extra cymbal stand just in case), Hi-Hat Cymbal, Throne, Sticks, Double Bass Pedal (if required), Guitars, Amps, DI Boxes and anything and everything you would need for your show other than what is provided. Not clear about something? Don’t wait until the night of the show…ask us in advance, and then everyone’s happy.
  4. You may bring your own snare drum if you like.
  5. Anyone caught stealing, tampering with or removing any of the Battle of the Bands gear or equipment will be disqualified and subject to prosecution.
  6. Anyone damaging any equipment owned by HI-FI, The Vogue, Sam Ash or MOKB Presents are responsible for replacing the equipment at regular price within 10 business days.

MISCELLANEOUS
  1. Each band’s first round performance date will be announced at the Registration meeting on September 11, 2019.
  2. Bands cannot switch performance nights once the competition has started. If you have a scheduling conflict you must let us know Registration night. It would be a good idea to bring your upcoming schedule with you.
  3. In the event that you cannot play on your scheduled date, although you cannot be rescheduled once the competition has begun, you must notify us as soon as you know. Not showing up and not bothering to call will prevent another local band from being able to enter. And, it’s just kind of a bad look for you.
  4. The entry fee is NON-REFUNDABLE, regardless of the circumstance.
  5. If someone in your band gets kicked out of the club on the night of your performance, your band will disqualified. If someone in your band gets banned from the club on any night for any reason, you are subject to disqualification at the club’s request. In short, don’t be a dummy and get kicked out.
  6. Underage band members are only allowed in the club while they are setting up and playing. We will have a designated area for them to hang before their set. Unfortunately, this is the law of the great state we live in. Again, everyone in your band must be at least 18 years old by the time of your performance to even be allowed to enter.
  7. No family members, friends, etc. under the age of 21 are permitted to enter. Valid, Government issued ID is required to enter the venue. Expired and paper ID’s are not accepted. No exceptions.
  8. Make sure to educate your fans, friends and family to vote for three (3) separate bands, or their vote will be tossed.

MARKETING & PROMOTION:
  1. Each band will be given set number of discount tickets for the night of your performance. The tickets are good for $1 off admission. Each band name will be listed on the ticket. The tickets will be available for you to pick up prior to the first Battle on October 2. Pass these out to your fans! Last year some bands didn’t even pick up their tickets, and that is a good idea only if you don’t want to advance. Another good idea is to use a highlighter and highlight your band’s name on the tickets. The booking staff at the club uses this to determine who is bringing the most fans and use this information for future bookings.
  2. Bands are encouraged to promote the via all channels. We will create one Facebook event for each Battle night. Bands will be made admin on that event. We do not want every band making their own FB event and confusing fans. Critical Mass is good, let’s all work together. . Also, if you bring a ton of people to your show, and your fans are going crazy, this can only enhance the overall crowd’s perception of your performance.
  3. Radio Spots will run promoting the event on select local radio stations
  4. Flyers promoting the entire event will be printed with the entire first round schedule on them. These will be available to all of the bands.
  5. HI-FI Marketing & PR team team will work to secure previews with local media outlets each week. All bands are encouraged to do the same.
  6. Online digital ads on Do317 and possible inclusion in Do317’s Weekly Top Ten

PRIZES:
  1. Grand Prize — $10,000, Late Model Tour Van and various prizes outline on the official prizes page.
  2. 2nd Place – $500 plus other prizes TBA
  3. 3rd Place – $250 plus other prizes TBA

THE FINALS
  1. The 2019-2020 Battle of the Bands Finals will be held at The Vogue on Saturday, February 15, 2020.
  2. Order of slots will follow the same blind draw format at the previous rounds.
  3. Set Length: 30 minutes
  4. Voting Format: Same as previous rounds
  5. More information about the finals will be posted in the weeks ahead.

CONTACTS
Any questions or concerns should be addressed to any of the following people:
Ticketing/Promo – Booking Coordinator Dee Annis dee@mokbpresents.com
Battle Manager – booking@mokbpresents.com
MOKB Presents, President/Owner – Josh Baker: jb@mokbpresents.com


Good luck to all the bands!

Organizers reserve the right to adjust, modify and/or clarify the rules of the event at any time for any reason.
All rules, regulations, voting, judging and procedures are ©2019 MOKB Presents. Unauthorized duplication or replication in whole, or in part, is a violation of applicable laws.