A Moscow battle of the bands type of concert will take place Saturday evening between six local groups.

Called the “Rendezvous People’s Showcase – a Showcase of Local Talent,” it will be the first concert of local talent to later be included in summer’s “Rendezvous in the Park” concert series. Dianne Daley Laursen, the director of Rendezvous Moscow, said there has been a growing desire to include local talent, and Saturday’s show is a perfect way to do so. “We had 17 bands submit CDs,” Laursen said. “Tina Hilding chose six for Saturday. After the concert, only three groups will be chosen as warm ups for the main acts this July.” Tina Hilding, a local DJ in Moscow, decided upon six groups with their own unique style and sound:

Brian Gill is an acoustic singer-songwriter who has performed with Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Don McLean. The Alexander-Stephens Band is a five piece band of local musicians who describe themselves as a good time, easy listening band playing a mix of original and popular covers.

Bare Wires, a garage band, say their music has rock and roll as the thread holding it all together, with scraps of blues, folk, country and who knows what else woven in wherever they seem to fit. Erik Smith is a WSU music major whose guitar playing has been influenced by such diverse artists as the Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, John Mayer and Ella Fitzgerald.

Little Red and the Criminals includes Ben Walden, who won first place as top woodwind soloist at this year’s Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. The rest of the band includes his father, Von Walden, and friends Paul Anders (playing mandolin) and Paul Hill (playing bass).

An eight-member horn band – Off the Leash – say their music has “an edge with class to appeal to a wide audience.” They are greatly influenced by music from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. The Rendezvous Showcase will follow a planned routine, allowing audience members to cast one ballot in favor of the “popular vote” winner. Another “vote” will have audience members backing their favorite band with cash, and the winner of this fund raising portion will also perform at the summer Rendezvous in the Park concert series in Moscow this July. The third band will be selected by the Rendezvous Board of Directors. The Showcase is at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 at Moscow’s Kenworthy Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 and available at the door.

Proceeds earned from Saturday’s event will go toward funding July’s “Rendezvous in the Park” concert series, as well as “Rendezvous for Kids,” which is a two-day art fair for children ages 3 to 12.