BMI’s Road to Bonnaroo 2013 (RTB 2013) will bring Nashville’s indie bands and music fans together for the fifth consecutive year to select three homegrown artists ready to represent the city’s bustling music scene on a national stage. Bowling Green’s Schools is among them, so plan a short road trip now to root for the home team – fan votes determine half the score!

“We’re really excited to have this opportunity and we hope to make the most of it. We’re proud to be from a community that is saturated with art, music and culture. Bowling Green has always been supportive of their local artists and we feel honored to be a part of the scene.” said Jeremi Simon-Kinnaman, singer/songwriter for Schools.

Schools is the only Bowling Green band on the Road to Bonnaroo roster.

Slated for three Mondays during BMI’s 8 off 8th shows at the Mercy Lounge over the next three months – February 25, March 25 and April 15 – RTB 2013 will offer one slot each night to perform at the 2013 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, June 13-16 in Manchester, Tenn.

RTB 2013 will follow the rules established in previous years: As the live-action litmus test, eight bands will perform three-song sets during each installment of the series. To select the evening’s top contender, an industry panel comprised of local music journalists, bloggers, and 8 off 8th hosts will contribute one half of the verdict, while fan votes through onsite ballots determine the other half.

As the nation’s spotlight remains laser-focused on Nashville, more eyes bring greater expectations and up the five-year-old RTB’s already considerable ante. The lineup for the first round of RTB 2013 meets the challenge and sets the bar sky high.

WHEN:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25 9 p.m.; Free and Open to 21+

FEATURED BANDS:

• SOL CAT – http://solcatmusic.com
• FIVE KNIVES – www.fiveknivesmusic.com
• ALANNA ROYALE – www.facebook.com/AlannaRoyale
• MAGNOLIA SONS – www.magnoliasons.com
• DYLAN MCDONALD & THE AVIANS – www.dylanmcdonald.org
• GRASS ROOT KIDS – www.grassrootkids.com
• SCHOOLS – www.reverbnation.com/schools
• THE YOUNG INTERNATIONAL – www.theyoungintl.com

WHERE:

MERCY LOUNGE 1 Cannery Row Nashville, TN 37203 mercylounge.com

Follow this year’s competition on Twitter: #Rd2Bonnaroo

The RTB 2013 is sponsored by BMI, the Mercy Lounge, The Nashville Scene, and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

BMI’s involvement underscores the organization’s vital role as an early career counselor and support system for aspiring songwriters and bands. As an initial point of contact for burgeoning artists, BMI serves as a fundamental bridge, connecting promising talent with industry decision-makers, as well as invaluable opportunities, including performance slots on stages at SXSW, the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza, the Hangout Music Festival, and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

About Schools:

Schools is a Bowling Green, Ky.-based rock trio led by songwriter Jeremi Simon.

Bred from the thriving music scene that birthed crowd-pleasers Cage the Elephant and Sleeper Agent, Schools is the latest Bowling Green band to perk the ears of Grammy-winning producer Jay Joyce.

Simon was a solo act prior to forming Schools with Joey Bennett (bass) and Daniel Marlowe (drums), and made fast fans of Cage the Elephant, who personally suggested his music to Joyce.

“The first time I heard Jeremi sing, I was drawn to the honesty of his lyrics,” Joyce says. “The delivery was sad, but had an underlying sense of humor that I think is missing in a lot of today’s songwriters.”

Like his songwriting hero, Neil Young, Simon’s songs demonstrate a broad range of musical ability and a strong sense of lyrical honesty.

Whether it’s the energetic punk vibe of “Think I Might Be an Alien,” or the haunting feel of the ballad “Beautiful Disaster,” Simon always wears his heart on his sleeve when writing songs.

In the time leading up to the release of their debut EP, recorded with Joyce at his Tragedy/Tragedy Studio, Schools has been playing its biggest shows yet, opening for the likes of Manchester Orchestra, Grouplove, and Cage the Elephant.

The band will hit the road this spring for a joint tour with Morning Teleportation.

While the band is excited to see what waits on the horizon, Simon is just as eager to sit down and write his next song.

“I can tell when I’m about to start writing a lot of songs,” Simon says. “It’s this weird feeling I get, and all of sudden I start coming up with all these ideas. I love it. It’s like having a baby or something.”

ABOUT BONNAROO: The 2013 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is slated for June 13-16, in Manchester, Tennessee. A four-day, multi-stage camping festival held on a beautiful 700-acre farm, Bonnaroo brings together some of the best performers in rock and roll, along with dozens of artists in complementary styles such as jazz, Americana, hip-hop, electronica, and just about any contemporary music you can think of. In addition to dozens of epic performances, the festival’s 100-acre entertainment village buzzes around the clock with attractions and activities including a classic arcade, on-site cinema, silent disco, comedy club, theater performers, a beer festival, and a music technology village. For its peaceful vibe, near-flawless logistics, and unrivaled entertainment options, Rolling Stone magazine named this revolutionary entertainment experience one of the 50 moments that changed the history of rock and roll. www.bonnaroo.com

ABOUT 8 OFF 8TH: BMI proudly presents 8 off 8th, the free weekly showcase held 9 p.m. every Monday at Nashville music venue Mercy Lounge (1 Cannery Row, off 8th Avenue South). Hosted by a rotating lineup of music community impresarios, each night features eight local (and sometimes nationally touring) artists and serves as ground zero for Nashville’s bourgeoning indie rock scene. Whether it’s launching fledging acts fresh out of the garage or showcasing the latest buzz bands, 8 off 8th’s rapid-fire three-song sets satisfy audiences chasing the next big thing. www.bmi.com

ABOUT BMI: Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®), a global leader in rights management, is an American performing rights organization that represents more than 550,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 7.5 million musical works. BMI has represented the most popular and beloved music from around the world for more than 70 years. The company provides licenses for businesses that perform music, and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents. BMI’s impressive roster of indie songwriters includes such artists as Passion Pit, Cat Power, Imagine Dragons, Shins, Grizzly Bear, and Band of Horses.

For more info about what BMI is doing to foster the creation of Indie Music, check out http://www.bmi.com/genres/indie.