Reported by Lindsay Fullington
This year, 80/35 is teaming up with Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Iowa Public Radio’s Studio One to give local Iowa bands an awesome opportunity to play the stage alongside Death Cab for Cutie, The Avett Brothers, Dinosaur Jr., and more.
On April 23, The Play In committee selected the eight finalists who will fight to play the big stage. Seedlings, The White Elephant, The Beat Strings, The Wire Frames, Love Songs for Lonely Monsters, Emporers Club, Ladysoal, and Holy White Hounds were chosen.
These bands will perform live on IPR’s Night Music from April 30 – May 10. Listeners can rate each performance online. The top three rankings will be guaranteed a slot in the 80/35 lineup. Those bands will perform in front of a live audience in Des Moines on June 21. A final round of voting will determine the top act that will play on the Wellmark Main Stage, and the second and third place winners will each play a set on the free stages.
Congrats, guys! And good luck. We’ll be listening.
Band Bombshell 