What’s the best groove? Battle of the Bands to decide at Home Place Park on Sept. 12
MADISON – After its premiere in 2025, “Battle of the Bands” is returning to decide who will rule the stage at Home Place Park, 100 Shorter St.
Madison Arts Alliance is presenting the second annual ‘battle’ on Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. The community music event is free to attend.
“This exciting competition will showcase six talented local bands, each bringing their own unique sound to the stage,” Maxine Retzer said. Retzer is an Alliance Executive Board Member and Event Organizer.
“The competing bands will perform a mix of original music and iconic covers. This year, we are also thrilled to announce Groove, North Alabama’s favorite party band, as the opening act,” Retzer said.
The grand prize package includes $500, two paid performance opportunities at The Beer Hog, 130 Plaza Blvd. and the “2027 Sounds of Summer” concert series.
The 2026 Battle of Bands will involve six groups:
• Brother Goode — Brandon Goode and Haylee Goode, singer, guitar; Taylor Jones, drummer; Patrick Crummie, bass; and Sam Black, auxiliary, keys, guitar. Alternative rock band with Southern charm that meets the raw energy of rock ‘n roll. Delivers unique blend of gritty guitar riffs alongside sarcastic lyrics and melodies.
• Treetop & The Gifted — Nigel Law, guitar, vocals; Davion Pearson, bass; and Gregory Smith, drums. Genre-blurring indie rock band blending psychedelic, surf, punk and alternative influences into a sound that feels both nostalgic and distinctly their own. They draw from vintage rock’s energy while embracing a modern, experimental edge.
• Play the Part — Ryan Marsh, guitar, vocals; Braydon Weever, vocals; Casey Johnson, guitar; Cami Watters, drums; and Julian Larew, bass. Inspired by powerhouse bands like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Silverstein and more for their own blend of pop punk, emo and post-hardcore.
• The Dragon & The Queens — Katie Teichmiller, lead vocals; Alex Vaughn, guitar; Christina Wegman, keys; Destine Brown, bass; Jarrod J. Rod, drums; and Taylor Cheatwood, sax. A Huntsville- based artist blending cinematic pop & R&B with a distinct, powerful voice at the center. Their work explores themes of shame, self-discovery, resilience and emotional reckoning with both theatrical intensity and grounded honesty.
• Highfield — Luke Hinton, drums, background vocals; Bryant Wilkerson, lead vocals, ukulele; Aaron Creel, bass; and Jake Hammonds and Campbell Bue, guitar. Has earned reputation for delivering high-energy, crowd-driven performances across Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Huntsville and Starkville with blend of soulful grit of Southern rock with intensity and edge of alternative rock.
• 5×5 – Sean Brooks, vocalist; Caleb Merchant, guitar; Boss Shell, bass; and Andrew Smith, drums. Local cover band playing rock and pop hits from the ‘90s, along with a mix of newer songs, classic rock anthems and anything else that’ll have you bobbing your head, singing along or hitting the dance floor. Every show is about having fun, connecting with the crowd and making sure everyone has a great time.
Judging panel will include Jim Parker — Songwriter, producer, music publisher and founder of Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series; Dawn Osborne — Singer-songwriter known for fronting The Dawn Osborne Band with powerful soul, rock, blues and jazz; Don Howard — Launched his career at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif. and relocated to Huntsville and established Don Howard Studios for his globally recognized work in caricature art; Alan Little – Skilled on guitar, drums, harmonica and vocals as frontman for Little and the Giants and founder of Listen Local Huntsville LLC.
For more information, visit madisonartsalliance. org.
