Battle of the Bands gives local artists a chance to play Sound of Music

The Battle of the Bands returns to Burlington this Saturday (June 8) as the five finalists from 2023 compete to see who will get to play the main stage at Sound of Music this year.

Four bands and one independent artist will be playing at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre on Saturday, including Suzi Kory, Pedestrian, Revive the Rose, The Band Caves and The Boneheads.

Kory, a country artist born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, won the Performance of the Year award at the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards in 2023. Her 2020 single, Settle of the Dust, caught the attention of both radio stations and international audiences, as Kory has played across Canada, the United States and Brazil.

Pedestrian is a local band formed in Burlington, mixing the sounds Blink-182 with Bowling For Soup to create a new identity. They have released two singles since forming, iQuit and Middle Kid.

Revive the Rose is a Niagara-based rock band who has opened for other legendary Canadian rock groups such as The Glorious Sons and Monster Truck. Founded in 2014, their classic rock songs have found their ways onto radio stations, video games and even NHL games.

The Band Caves found success with their rock-country style and earned the number one spot on the Indie Canadian Country Countdown in their first few years as a group.

Lastly, The Boneheads are a rock group from Toronto, who won the ‘Best New Group’ award at the 2023 Mississauga Music Awards, and have played with Canadian artists like JJ Wild and The Glorious Suns in the past.

The winner of the event will play the Sound of Music main stage at 1p.m. on Sat. June 15. Previous successful Canadian groups, such as The Arkells and Walk Off The Earth, also played at the festival when their careers were kicking off. Last year’s winner, Pacific Estate, has released several singles since playing the main stage and have their debut album on the way.