The votes are in! The final four Chattanooga bands in the Road to Nightfall 2013 competition were announced this morning.
Of countless entries and 25 semifinalists, Function: with a “C,” Smooth Dialects, Amber Fults and the Ambivalent Lovers, and Jordan Hallquist and the Outfit are on the bill for the final throwdown.
Rhythm & Brews will host the last night of the competition, now in its third year, on Friday, March 15 at 8:30 p.m.
The Road to Nightfall kicked off the first weekend in March with four nights of live and local music at the downtown concert hall. The list of semifinalists was compiled by the Night Music Selection Committee after reviewing the artist-supplied materials.
The live and local audiences, which showed up in record numbers for the semifinal rounds, cast votes for the best act at the end of each night.
With the ballots tallied, 2013 proved to be a banner year for women—three of the four acts are fronted by female voices—and the third year drummer Hunter White has reached the finals with at least one of the four groups.
The final performances this Friday will be evaluated by a panel of judges familiar with the Chattanooga music scene, including Richard Winham of WUTC 88.1, Casey Phillips of the Chattanooga Times Free Press and Carla Pritchard of Chattanooga Presents.
The competition's ultimate winner will snag the headliner spot at one night of the Nightfall 2013 schedule, plus $1,000. The runners-up will all be featured as opening acts during the concert series' May to August run.
With that said, Chattanooga music fans, meet your top picks:
—Smooth Dialects: A jazz and soul act complete with keyboard, saxophone and trumpet that can claim a conductor’s daughter as its bandleader and plenty of classic and high-level technical training among its members’ backgrounds
—Amber Fults and the Ambivalent Lovers: A grouping of seasoned musicians hailing from other bands and a return contender to the final rounds with a wry pop and Smiths-style rock sound
—Function: with a “C”: Another jazz and soul band more on the funk side with the sole aim of getting the audience on their feet and dancing
—Jordan Hallquist and the Outfit: A three-piece rock band in the style of The Boss and Drive-By Truckers with one studio album, “Broad St. Devil,” under its belt
