First Posted: 2/25/2015

WILKES-BARRE — Forget “American Idol.”

Forget “The Voice.”

Forget “America’s Got Talent.”

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre is amping up for the return of its annual music competition — the fifth annual Breakers Battle of the Bands — at 8 p.m. on March 12 inside Breakers; where you can not only witness the excitement of aspiring artists, but feel it.

Thirty-two bands from the tri-state area, including popular local bands such as Nowhere Slow and Stealing Neil, will compete for a slot in the semi-finals — and eventually the May 21 finale — for a chance at 10 grand. That’s right, $10,000.

According to Mohegan Sun’s vice president of marketing, Robyn Ryan, the competition has stayed true to its roots. Over the years, the battle provided a platform for good music to be showcased with the main evolution of the battle being the growth in prizes. Not only will the winning group be rewarded $10,000, but monetary prizes will be given to the top four bands overall. Second place will receive $5,000; third place gets $2,500; even fourth place will walk with a $1,000.

“There will be three judges participating in the event each Thursday night, consisting of vendors, sponsors and music professionals,” Ryan said.

Judgment will be based on the following categories: instrumentation (skill or artistry in performing music), vocal ability (enunciation and pitch), stage presence (charisma, personality, togetherness as a band) and audience reaction (band’s ability to command the audience’s attention).

“This season, there will also be a text-to-vote opportunity, where fans will be able to participate by voting for their favorite band via text message. Bands will receive bonus points based on the percentage of the fan votes they receive,” Ryan said.

Breakers Battle of the Bands will continue to provide a platform for bands to increase their fan base while housing entertainment that will keep you on your feet.

For an exclusive look at who will be battling it out at Breakers Battle of the Bands, pick up a copy of Weekender every week through May 20.