Disclaimer: Chris Lyon, Editor in Chief of Heliopolis is also the artist liaison for Prize Fest.
We’ve been covering the Music Prize since 2013 when Seratones lead singer AJ Haynes won the very first year. We featured the second year winner, on our cover a few years ago. Heliopolis and Prize have had a long history together as our first issues were released during Prize weekend 4 years ago. This year, as with last year, we are sponsoring Music Prize because we want to help bring something fantastic to Shreveport. We’ll be bringing you coverage and special stories about the musicians and Prize Fest in an effort to spread the word.
A bit of history: From 2013 to 2015, the Music Prize was one night only featuring local and regional bands competing for top prize. But beginning last year, the music fest expanded its offerings to three nights featuring local acts and also national acts such as Beach Slang, Polyphonic Spree, K. Flay, and The BlueBonnets, among others.
This year, Music Prize will continue on last year’s trajectory of mixing local music and national flair by bringing back the three night format – Thursday thru Saturday, October 5-7. For the first time, Friday and Saturday night events will be ALL AGES. Music Prize is a part of Prize Fest’s week-long festival schedule that also includes food festivities and screenings of locally-produced short films (more on that here).
Music Prize at Prize Fest has been the jumping off point for several local music careers and provided resources and connections to artists the same way it brings those things to filmmakers and local chefs. To attend is to support not just local artists, but the organization which works to elevate them and their craft in the NWLA region.
Without further ado, here’s the lineup for 2017, which is listed below and we’ve also got a Spotify playlist of some of the bands embedded too. It promises to be a packed and spectacular weekend. Tickets start at $40 for the whole weekend and can be purchased at prizefest.org.
Local’s Showcase
Thursday, October 5th
Voodoo Cafe [21+]. Doors at 6pm, show at 7pm.
Rella, Ricky Latt, Star Chamber, and The Wall Chargers will compete for best in show as selected by combined audience and judge votes. The winner will also win an additional gig to play Friday night in the middle of Texas Street in downtown Shreveport.
Indie Collision
Friday, October 6th
700 Texas Street. Doors at 7:30pm, show at 8pm.
Friday night will feature headliner Larkin Poe (Atlanta, GA) and 2016’s Music Prize winner, The Bristol Hills (Shreveport). Additionally, the winner from Thursday’s Locals Showcase will take the stage.
Mainstage Extravaganza
Saturday, October 7th
700 Texas Street. Doors at 6pm, show at 7pm.
On Saturday night, the festival will kick off its largest night yet featuring headliner and New Orleans’ Royal Teeth. Also hitting the stage are Bonnaroo 2017 sensation Walker Lukens (Austin, TX), The Belle Game (Vancouver), *repeat repeat (Nashville), and Bantam Foxes (New Orleans).
Tickets start at $40 for the entire weekend. Prize Fest is also selling Music Prize VIP all access wristbands for $75.
For schedule and ticket information, visit PrizeFest.org.