Solana Beach to host inaugural ‘Battle of the Bands’ at Belly Up

The Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce is preparing for the inaugural Fiesta del Sol Battle of the Bands on Sept. 16, 5-9 p.m., at the Belly Up.

“We have a lot of great talent in Solana Beach,” said Maryam Hintzen, CEO of the Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau.

The event, which is a fundraiser for the chamber of commerce, will feature six local bands: April and the Funk Junkies, Mud, Pearl Jammed, Shaken and Stirred, Static on the Stereo and the Good Pour. The first place finisher will get to perform on Saturday night at Fiesta del Sol 2020, and the second place finisher will play on Sunday night. The annual event typically draws more than 50,000 people.

“We’ll try to fill it up and get the crowd to participate,” Hintzen said of the competition, which will serve as a summer sendoff for the local community.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., and the first band will take the stage at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10, and are available to attendees who are 21 and older through the chamber of commerce or from Belly Up. Free raffle tickets are included.

Belly Up has hosted the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg and the Black-Eyed Peas, among many other world-famous musical artists. The venue is located at 143 S. Cedros Ave. For more information, visit fiestadelsol.net/battle-of-the-bands.