How Can I Play at Friday After 5 in Owensboro, KY?

It's back! The Friday Night Fight, presented by Friday After 5, the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center and Townsquare Media, returns this summer! The popular talent contest is open to singer-songwriters, duos, trios and bands. The grand prize this year? $1500 and the right to headline stages at two popular events- the season finale at Friday After 5 in downtown Owensboro and Dock Trot at Lake Malone in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.

If you think you have the talent to take the stage, here are complete details about how the Friday Night Fight works.

WBKR'S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT

Official Contest Rules

#1- Contestants must be 13 years of age by August 2nd, 2024.

#2- To be eligible for WBKR’S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT participants MUST audition at our preliminary qualifying event, which will be held 6pm to 8pm on the Ruoff Party Stage on the Pier at the Owensboro Convention Center.

AUDITIONS- Friday, June 21st, 2024 (6pm)
FINALS- Friday July 12th, 2024 (6pm)
CHAMPION PERFORMANCE- Friday, August 2nd, 2024 (Time TBA)
DOCK TROT PERFORMANCE- Saturday, September 14th, 2024 (Time TBA)

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In the event of rain or other unforeseen events, auditions, the finale and/or championship headline performances will be moved indoors.

#3- To be eligible to audition, participants MUST register, in advance, online at WBKR.com or via the WBKR app. Registrations are open NOW and will be limited to the first twenty acts. Eligible contestants will be notified when their audition is confirmed.

#4- Participants must also provide their own accompaniment. Friday After 5 is a LIVE music event, so CDs, MP3 devices, etc. are STRICTLY PROHIBITED. All performers must be accompanied by live instrumentation.

#5- A panel of WBKR FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT judges will choose eight finalists from the pool of contestants at the FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT audition on June 21st. Those eight finalists will advance to the finale event on Friday, July 12th. Selections of FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT finalists are FINAL and indisputable.

#6- WBKR’S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT is open to solo acts, duos, small ensembles, and bands. Our contest will be using the "house" sound system up at the Ruoff Party Stage, and, consequently, everything MUST be plug and play. Amps are PROHIBITED at auditions. Drum sets are PROHIBITED during the audition process, though a single snare, bongo, or beatbox is allowed. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THESE RULES in either the audition or finale process. Failure to adhere to this rule could result in immediate disqualification from the contest.

**One note, the overall winning act is allowed amps and a full drum kit at their August 2nd headlining performance at Friday After 5's Overlook Stage and on Saturday, Sept 14th at Dock Trot.

#7- The WBKR FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT finale is 6pm, Friday, July 12th at Friday After 5. Eight finalists will be on hand to compete for the grand prize.

#8- At WBKR’S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT finale event, finalists will prepare THREE songs. Please note, there will be a limit of EIGHT finalists and those finalists will compete, bracket-style, in a series of head-to-head eliminations. Our judges will provide live performance feedback after each round and then declare a winner to advance. The finale will continue in this manner through semifinal and final rounds. The judges’ decisions are final and indisputable.

#9- The winner of WBKR’S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT will win $1000 and headline Friday After 5's finale concert at the Overlook Stage on Friday, August 2nd at Friday After 5 in Owensboro. The champion(s) will prepare a full 2-hour-long set. Any sound requirements by the champion and those participating in the performance MUST be cleared by WBKR personnel, who will then get clearance from the organizers of Friday After 5. The sound system will be provided and operated by Friday After 5.

The winner will also receive an additional $500 and a headlining spot in the 2024 lineup of the 2024 Dock Trot (at Lake Malone), presented by the Muhlenberg County Tourism Commission. That date is Saturday, September 14th, 2024.

#11- In addition to appearing on stage at Friday After 5, the champion of WBKR’S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT is invited to appear live in the WBKR studios in advance of Friday, August 2nd. While the invitation to appear is optional, it is encouraged as it presents an excellent opportunity for additional media exposure.

#13- The Country Station, 92.5 WBKR, the organizers of Friday After 5 and Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center reserve the right to change any of the above rules or prizes without notice before and/or during the contest. The decisions of the WBKR staff and its partners are final and cannot be disputed.

#14- Owners, employees, servants, or agents of WBKR, Friday After 5 and other sponsors or relatives or family members of such owners, officers, directors, employees, servants, or agents are NOT eligible to participate in WBKR’s FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT. Past champions of WBKR's Friday Night Fight are prohibited from competing.

**Registrations will open on Monday, May 20th!**