As the school year comes to a close, there are many things to look forward to that signal the start of summer. And there’s no event that represents the start of summer better than Battle of the Bands!

The 18th annual Southampton Town Battle of the Bands competition will be held on June 11 at Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays. Hosted by the Southampton Youth Bureau, the event will feature performances by bands from various schools in the Town of Southampton consisting of high school students. The event features music of various genres, including rock, blues, metal and pop.

Tickets to the event will be sold for $10 each on the Southampton Youth Bureau website. Anyone who wants to attend will have to purchase a ticket prior to the event, as tickets will not be available at the gates on June 11. The event will also be live streamed on the Southampton Youth Bureau Facebook page. 

The 18th Battle of The Bands was originally scheduled for June 5, 2020. The event ended up being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, due to a lower number of cases and the beginning of a return to normalcy, the Youth Bureau brought back the event for this year. Capacity is limited at 200 people as of now, but this may change due to new CDC guidelines that came out last week. 

Bands from WHBHS have been featured prominently at the annual competition over the years. Notable groups include Citrus Stomp, who won in 2016, and the Sundried Tomatoes, who came in 2nd place in 2018. This year, up-and-coming group En Fuego is hoping to continue the success of WHBHS bands. The band, featuring sophomore Hunter Montgomery on bass/vocals and junior Jack Oats on guitar, is looking to take the competition by storm with a rockin’ high energy set.

Doors to the event will open at 7 PM and will begin at 8 PMon June 11. Be sure to visit www.southamptontownny.gov/youthbureau to get a ticket soon so you can support En Fuego and other local bands as they rock out at one of the biggest music events of the year!