Seven bands will compete on Friday for a spot onstage at Centralhallapalooza. The deciding event runs from 8 p.m. to midnight at Grange Hall at the Hillsdale County Fairgrounds. The first band will begin around 8:30 p.m.
Three student bands play at Centralhallapalooza each year, elected by an audience vote. Last year’s winners were My Dog’s Name is Keith, Deaf Davey and the Wineboxes, and The Electric Psychadelic Pussy Cat Swingers Club.
“I think it will be really close,” Director of Student Activities Ashlyn Landerr said. “Different bands have different followings.”
This year’s competing bands are Penny and the Mandimes, The Wineboxes, The Village Idiots, Roos Roast, BANND, Trophy Wives, and Dick Whiskey and the Shortstacks.
Sophomore Zane Mabry, who plays guitar for Penny and the Mandimes, said his band has a “more solid lineup” than last year.
“We have a good selection of music and a good energy onstage,” Mabry said. “I think we will be entertaining to watch.”
Senior Callie Ring, who is performing with Trophy Wives, also played last year in a different band. This year, she wanted to get an all-female group. Even though she wasn’t entirely successful — only six of the eight band members are women — the band stuck with a girl-power theme for its music.
“Usually when females are in the band, they’re singing,” Ring said. “I wanted women on instruments.”
Each band will play a 20-minute set, and the audience votes on which bands they’d like to see play at CHP.
Landherr said she likes to see students get involved with the process of creating CHP.
“It’s really cool to see students supporting students,” she said.
Ring said they just want to have fun.
“There’s a lot of really good bands,” Ring said. “Honestly, we’re just hoping to put on a good show.”