Bud Light And Sonicbids Launch 'Battle of the Bands' Program To Determine Opening Acts For The Port Paradise Music Festival

ST. LOUIS, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- This November, Bud Light will once again set sail with the Port Paradise cruise – a four day, three night journey to the Bahamas – and this year's trip is taking on a new musical dimension as Port Paradise becomes the Bud Light Port Paradise Music Festival.

Taking place Nov. 16-19, the Bud Light Port Paradise Music Festival will send more than 5,000 promotional winners aboard two full-size cruise liners for an extended weekend adventure that includes live concerts at Atlantis in Nassau on Saturday, Nov. 17 and on the private island of Coco Cay on Sunday, Nov. 18.

Headliners for the Port Paradise Music Festival will be revealed later this year, but prior to that, Bud Light is turning to its fans to determine three of the opening acts. Partnering with Sonicbids – a social music marketing platform for bands, music promoters, consumer brands and fans – Bud Light is launching a nationwide Battle of the Bands contest that will run throughout summer before concluding with eight live Battle of the Bands concerts between July 26-Aug. 5 (band submission and fan voting details below).

"The private island concert has become a staple of the Port Paradise experience, and this year we're blowing it out by transforming Port Paradise into a two-day music festival," said Mike Sundet, vice president, Bud Light. "Not only will we bring together 5,000 new friends, but with the help of Sonicbids, we'll provide three emerging bands an amazing platform to grow their national profile."

"It's great to see a brand like Bud Light putting its marketing muscle behind music," said Panos Panay, CEO, Sonicbids. "We're excited to be partnering with them to power their 'Battle of the Bands.' This is an amazing opportunity for our 350,000 member bands who are well versed in activating their fan networks through social media to help land their spot on stages like the Bud Light Port Paradise Music Festival."

Here's How It Works

Band Submissions

• Now through June 17, bands (all members 21 years of age and older) can register at www.Sonicbids.com/BudLight
• Acts must submit an mp3 single
• Bands must also select one of the eight markets in which to perform (Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, New York or St. Louis)
• Bands can also upload a full electronic press kit (EPK) on Sonicbids.com

Round One Voting

• From June 21 – July 3, fans (21 years of age and older) will vote to determine the top-10 bands per city at www.BudLight.com/BattleOfTheBands
• A panel of industry professionals will then narrow the top-10 acts to three finalists per city
• The 24 finalists will be announced on or about July 13

Regional Battle of the Bands Concerts

• From July 26 – August 5, Bud Light will host a local Battle of the Bands concert in each of the eight cities
• The top-3 bands from each city will perform, and Bud Light will record each performance for posting on www.BudLight.com/BattleOfTheBands

Round Two Voting

• From August 13 – 27, fans will once again be called on to vote for their favorite bands, this time based on the bands' performances during the Battle of the Bands concerts
• The top-3 overall vote getters will receive a slot in the Port Paradise Music Festival line-up

Consumer entry for Bud Light Port Paradise Music Festival trips will begin on June 15. Continue checking the official Bud Light Facebook page, or www.facebook.com/BudLight, for more information and updates.

About Anheuser-Busch

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 47.7 percent share of U.S. beer sales to retailers. The company brews Budweiser and Bud Light, two of the world's largest-selling beers. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and has been a leading aluminum recycler for more than 30 years. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.

About SonicBids.com

Sonicbids is a Social Music Marketing™ platform that connects bands, promoters, consumer brands and music fans. Sonicbids was launched in 2001 with a basic mission: great music should always find an audience. It has since grown into a global marketing platform connecting more than 350,000 bands with 26,000 promoters from over 100 different countries with an aggregate reach of 100 million socially connected music fans. Sonicbids is the online launching pad for many of today's hot artists and has exclusive partnerships with many taste-making events and consumer brands like South By Southwest, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, CMJ Music Marathon, Red Bull, Marriott Hotels and DieselIndustry.

For more information, contact:
Phillip Cleveland, Bud Light
314-577-9637, [email protected]
Darlene Doyle, Sonicbids
617-502-1335, [email protected]

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch