Rock the Stage finals set for Dec. 14 | One of SWFL’s largest music competitions to wrap up at Bay Street Yard
From hundreds down to the top nine, one of the region’s largest music competitions is set for the finals next weekend.
The fifth annual Rock the Stage all-ages music contest culminates on Dec. 14 at Bay Street Yard in downtown Fort Myers, as nine finalists across three divisions (singers/artists, songwriters, bands) go head-to-head for the title, prizes, and bragging rights.
Put on by the Lewis P. Tabarrini Children’s Music Outreach Foundation, organizers state this is the best showcase of talent they’ve seen yet.
“We shine a spotlight on incredible talent, and every year, we find bands we’ve never seen before,” said Tabarrini Foundation Founder, Bob Tabarrini. “(At the semifinals), I heard some bands that just made me smile. The bands that are going to the finals just stood out to me in their own unique way.
“For someone like me who has been doing this for a minute, it refreshes my passion for recognizing how important music is.”
The competition started with an audition process, with more than a couple hundred bands and singers young and not-so-young throwing their hat in the ring. From there, two different semifinals took place — one for singers and songwriters, and another for bands.
Now, the top three in each category will vie for prizes that include: one year of coaching at School of Rock Fort Myers, a custom press pack, studio time, a pro photo shoot, a cash prize (singer division), booking support, and of course, bragging rights.
“We gather career-enhancing resources and try to distribute them to the people we think can utilize them the best,” Tabarrini said. “We try to boost these musicians who are getting ready to take on the next leg of their journey.”
Finalists for the singing division include: Amy Hart, Tyler Shep, and Mia Wilson.
Finalists for the songwriting division are: Dakota Rivers, D-Rox, and Liv Schiller.
The three bands that have made the finals feature: Total Annihilation, Prickly Dogfish, and More Better Band.
After each act performs, those in attendance will be able to vote in real-time via their smartphone on who they feel should be the winner in each category.
Tabarrini said despite how Rock the Stage shakes out, the experience is one he hopes each entrant gains something from.
“Whether an individual makes it through the semifinals or auditions to the next round — music is art,” Tabarrini said. “We never want anyone feeling that they’re never good enough. It’s never about that. Music is subjective. Rock the Stage is a life-expansion opportunity that brings a lot of good.”
Entrants spanned various music genres, showing just how vast the music scene in Southwest Florida and across the state is.
“The Southwest Florida music scene is the coolest music scene on planet earth,” Tabarrini said. “It really is. I would put it against Nashville, Los Angeles — as far as the talent, the diversity, the camaraderie. If you’re a music-lover and not out exploring what we have to offer, you’re missing out on all these treasures we have in our own backyard. That’s one of the reasons we started Rock the Stage, to shine a spotlight.”
Tabarrini is a lifelong musician who has an inside track on what’s going on locally, and said every year, Rock the Stage brings new talent to light.
“Every time we do this, we see acts that we’ve never seen before and discover new acts and help launch their career locally,” he said. “We had a band that won a couple of years ago, Two Looping Vibes…they are one of the most booked bands in Southwest Florida. They went from being an unknown band from Cuba, to now being not enough days in the week to accept the bookings people are trying to hire them for.”
The Rock the Stage finals start at 3 p.m., with each act performing two songs. General admission is a $20 suggested donation at the door. VIP tickets are available for $75 and include perks like preferred seating, private bar/table service, drink tickets, scratch-offs for chances to win raffles and more fun surprises.
This isn’t just a music event, it’s a high-energy fundraiser supporting the Lewis P. Tabarrini Children’s Music Out-reach Foundation, which provides free musical instruments, lessons and scholarships to kids in Southwest Florida who otherwise wouldn’t have access to music education.
“By showing up, you can be proud to know that you’re supporting the Tabarrini Foundation’s mission to provide free music education to kids,” Tabarrini said. “It’s not only a great thing to experience, but you’re giving back to the community in a meaningful way that’s truly making a difference.
“Come to see the amazing diversity and depth of the talent we have in this region and beyond.”
For more information on Rock the Stage, and for VIP tickets, visit www.rockthestageswfl.com.
For more information on the Lewis P. Tabarrini Children’s Music Outreach Foundation, visit www.tabarrinifoundation.org.
Bay Street Yard is at 2136 Bay St. in downtown Fort Myers.