PORTLAND, ORE – Six employee bands competed in RACC’s Battle of the Bands competition on Wednesday night, a benefit for Work for Art. More than 600 people attended the second annual event, held at the Crystal Ballroom. Celebrity judges Valerie Day, Rindy Ross and Edna Vazquez awarded the top prize – Best Company Band – to The Bears, from Stoel Rives. The Best Showmanship prize went to the ZGF Architects band, Pencil Skirt Paula and the Straight Edge Rulers.
Joey Meador, lead singer for the Best Company Band, The Bears, from Stoel Rives. (Photo by Erica Ann Photography)
The Audience Favorite award, as determined by cash votes from the audience and online, went to Hampton Lumber’s Petty Crimes, a Tom Petty cover band. Audience voting raised over $11,000 for the cause, and while the overall fundraising totals from sponsorships and other donations are still being tabulated, all proceeds will benefit the 2017 Work for Art campaign and will be shared with more than 100 arts organizations that are funded by RACC and Work for Art.
The event was held at the Crystal Ballroom and co-chaired by Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and ZGF Architects principal Sharron van der Meulen. Sarah G. from WE 96.3 FM emceed, and Alpha Media will provide the winning Bears an opportunity for an encore performance at the Skype Live Studio in downtown Portland (performance date to be announced).
The Audience Favorite from Hampton Lumber, Petty Crimes. (Photo by Erica Ann Photograph)
Portland jazz musician Christopher Brown mentored the competing bands, which also included Copper Goddess (Portland City Hall), Members Only (Kaiser Permanente), and Hair Nation (KeyBank). The Last Regiment of Syncopated Drummers kicked off the event, and The Standard presented a special performance by Strawberry Jam from the Rock N Roll Camp for Girls. The Brothers Jam, led by BodyVox artistic director Jamey Hampton, and a Timbers Army band, Greenhorn, also performed.
RACC’s second annual Battle of the Bands was sponsored in part by Hampton Lumber, KeyBank, The Standard and Alpha Media/KINK 101.9 FM. Additional sponsors included Kaiser Permanente, The Portland Business Journal, Stoel Rives, The Portland Timbers, ZGF Architects, Erica Ann Photography, Ben & Jerry’s/New Avenues for Youth, Performance Promotions and Poster Garden.
Companies interested in competing in next year’s Battle are encouraged to contact Alison Bailey, RACC’s business partnership manager, at abailey@racc.org, 503-823-5424.
To make a contribution to this year’s Work for Art campaign, visit workforart.org. Donors who give $60 or more receive a special benefit – The Arts Card, which provides 2-for-1 tickets to hundreds of arts and culture events in the Portland area.
Pencil Skirt Paula and the Straight Edge Rulers, from ZGF, won the Best Showmanship prize. (Photo by Erica Ann Photography)
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The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) was established in 1995 and is funded by public and private partners to serve artists, arts organizations, schools and residents throughout Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. RACC provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts through workplace giving and other programs; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance for artists; and integrates the arts into K-8 curriculum through The Right Brain Initiative. Online at racc.org.