FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dennis Graham

Phone: 608-345-2330

Email:  dennisgrahamassociates@gmail.com Web: www.rockonsin.org

@rockonsin: Instagram, TikTok & Facebook 

ROCKONSIN State Finals Winner & Runner-up

New Normal takes top honor; No Limit is runner-up

Celebrating 20th year of Youth Garagebands Rockin’ Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (June 30, 2024) – New Normal (Necedah Queen of the Holy Rosary School & Wisconsin Dells High School) won the 2024 ROCKONSIN State Finals competition at Summerfest.   No Limit (Columbus Middle & High School and Monona Grove High School) took the runner-up honors.

The ROCKONSIN State Finals featured 10 statewide 7th – 12th-grade garagebands, of any musical genre, performing 20-minute showcase sets on the Aurora Pavilion stage.  Three band application judges (Andy Wallman, Harry Cherkinian, Mike Popke) with 30+ years each of experience, scored out the performances.

All ten state finalist bands received two Shure mics (one instrument & one vocal with cords).  The winning band also received a Shure wireless vocal mic system.

The winning and runner-up bands each won recording time at Madison’s Blast House Studios (winner: 12 hours; runner-up: 8 hours).

The winning and runner-up bands also each won a second 45-minute showcase gig on July 6 on the Aurora Pavilion stage:

  • No Limit (Runner-up):       12:45pm – 1:30pm

  • New Normal (Winner):     2:00pm – 2:45pm

In addition, one ROCKONSIN State Finalist band, The Lightways (Germantown Kennedy Middle School, Sussex Hamilton and Brookfield East High Schools) will perform a one-hour showcase set on August 9th at 1:00 pm at the Waukesha Rotary BluesFest at Naga-Waukee Park in Delafield.

ROCKONSIN, which is brought to you by the Nicholas Family Foundation, is also made possible with the generous support of these statewide sponsors that have a passion for providing opportunities to recognize and showcase the talents of these young bands: MAMA (Madison Area Music Association),Tilt Media, Shure, and Summerfest.  This program is produced by Dennis Graham Associates that founded, in 2005, this statewide competition for 7th – 12th grade Wisconsin students which is still the only alternative statewide music competition of its kind in the nation.

For more information on ROCKONSIN including up to date news, to run off a State Finals event program and more, go to www.ROCKONSIN.organd follow on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @rockonsin.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dennis Graham

Phone: 608-345-2330

Email:  dennisgrahamassociates@gmail.com

Web: www.rockonsin.org

@rockonsin: Instagram, TikTok & Facebook 

ROCKONSIN State Finals Hit the Summerfest Stage

Aurora Pavilion June 28 & June 29

Celebrating 20th year of Youth Garagebands Rockin’ Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (June 3, 2024) –The 2024 ROCKONSIN State Finals will be conducted on June 28 & June 29 at Summerfest from 12:15pm – 2:45pm each day on the Aurora Pavilion Stage.

Ten statewide garage bands representing Wisconsin high schools and middle schools from Chippewa Falls to Racine and Kewaskum to Madison and in between have been selected, by three music industry judges with 30+ years of experience each, to perform 20 minute showcases at the ROCKONSIN State Finals.

Performance times and band listings are subject to change.

AURORA PAVILION STAGE

June 28

  • 12:15 pm – 12:35pm Extra (Rock) Mukwonago & Waterford High Schools

  • 12:45pm – 1:05pm No Limit (Rock) Columbus Middle & High School, Monona Grove High School

  • 1:15pm – 1:35pm Powerhouse (Rock) Madison Milestone Democratic School, Madison West High School, Madison Community Montessori School, Home School

  • 1:45pm – 2:05pm SACRAMENT (Metal) Racine Lutheran High School, Muskego High School

  • 2:15pm – 2:35pm The Lightways (Rock) Germantown Kennedy Middle School, Sussex Hamilton High School, Brookfield East High School, Home School

June 29

  • 12:15pm – 12:35pm Greater Than Human (Metal) Tony – Flambeau School District

  • 12:45pm – 1:05pm Baker & Boys (Rock) New London High School

  • 1:15pm – 1:35pm The XI Project (Rock) Kewaskum High School

  • 1:45pm – 2:05pm New Normal (Rock) Necedah Queen of the Holy Rosary, Wisconsin Dells High School

  • 2:15pm – 2:35pm 30 Minute Difference (Rock) Chippewa Falls High School

The 2024 winning & runner-up bands will be announced on Saturday June 29 at 8:00pm on Facebook, Instagram & TikTok @rockonsin and on the website www.rockonsin.org.

Each of the 10 bands will perform 20 minute showcases on the Aurora Pavilion Stage and will be evaluated by a different set of three music industry judges, for the State Finals, on expression/creativity/technique, rhythm/vocals, primary beats/blend/time, synergy and a summary of each musician knowing their role and how the band jells as one musical unit. Each band, after their Summerfest performance, will receive a private verbal critique from one of the judges.

“ROCKONSIN State Finals will highlight ten talented 7th – 12th grade Wisconsin garagebands in the spotlight at Summerfest. Join us in cheering on the cool new wave of young hot Badger State bands that will hit the Aurora Pavilion Stage on June 28 & June 29 – next up The World’s Largest Music Festival!” said ROCKONSIN Founder & Producer Dennis Graham.

The 2024 ROCKONSIN winning and runner-up bands will each perform a second prize winning 45 minute showcase gig at The Big Gig on the Aurora Pavilion Stage on July 6th with the runner-up hitting the stage at 12:45pm followed by the winning band at 2:00pm.

The winner and runner-up each win a professional recording session at Madison’s Blast House Studios (Winner: 12 hours; Runner-up: 8 hours).  Each of the 10 State Finalist bands receive two (2) Shure microphones (one vocal and one instrument with cords).  The winning band will also receive a Shure wireless vocal microphone system.

In addition, one ROCKONSIN State Finalist band will perform a one hour showcase set on August 9th at the Waukesha Rotary BluesFest at Naga-Waukee Park in Delafield.

ROCKONSIN, which is brought to you by the Nicholas Family Foundation, is also made possible with the generous support of these statewide sponsors that have a passion for providing opportunities to recognize and showcase the talents of these young bands: MAMA (Madison Area Music Association),Tilt Media, Shure, and Summerfest.  This program is produced by Dennis Graham Associates that founded, in 2005, this statewide competition for 7th – 12th grade Wisconsin students which is still the only alternative statewide music competition of its kind in the nation.

For more information on ROCKONSIN including up to date news, to run off a State Finals poster and more, go to www.ROCKONSIN.org and follow on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @rockonsin.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dennis Graham
608-345-2330
dennisgrahamassociates@gmail.com
www.rockonsin.org
@rockonsin: Instagram, Tik-Tok & Facebook

2024 ROCKONSIN PRESS RELEASE

State Finals to be held June 28 & 29 @ Summerfest 

Celebrating 20 Years of Youth Garagebands Rockin’ Wisconsin

FREE APPLICATION PERIOD NOW OPEN MARCH 1 – APRIL 30

MADISON, WIS. (February 28, 2024) –

Dennis Graham Associates, in association with the not for profit MAMA (Madison Area Music Association), is producing for the 20th year a youth garageband competition showcasing only Wisconsin 7th – 12th grade bands of all musical genres. ROCKONSIN is the only statewide youth music competition program of its kind in the nation.  

The 2024 ROCKONSIN State Finals two-day competition will be conducted June 28 & June 29 (12:15 pm – 2:45 pm; 5 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.

The 2024 winning and runner-up bands will win a second Summerfest gig performing a 45-minute set each on July 6th on the Aurora Pavilion Stage at The Big Gig (runner-up: 12:45p – 1:30 pm; winner: 2:00p -2:45 pm).

2024 ROCKONSIN, brought to you by the Nicholas Family Foundation, 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 www.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 August 9th.

  • 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 2024. 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 www.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 handheld 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 www.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.

ROCKONSIN, which is brought to you by the Nicholas Family Foundation, is made possible with the support of sponsor partners that have a passion for providing opportunities to recognize, encourage and showcase the talents of these young bands.  Statewide sponsor partners include MAMA (Madison Area Music Association), Nicholas Family Foundation, Tilt Media, Shure, and Summerfest. This event is produced by Dennis Graham Associates which founded the program.

For more information on ROCKONSIN including band application information, up-to-date news, to run off a free band application poster and more, go to www.rockonsin.org.  Follow us on Facebook, Tik-Tok and Instagram @rockonsin.

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