Although music festivals are known for hosting big name musicians, many festivals give smaller bands an opportunity to play on a more national level in front of larger audiences.

This year, two local bands, CBDB and The Doctors and The Lawyers, are both entered in contests in hopes of winning the opportunity to play a set at a major music festival.

CBDB was looking for a way to promote heir second album, “Joyfunk Is Dead,” when they came across 
sonicbids.com. The online music hub is hosting a 
competition for small bands to win a set at the 2015 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.

“Sonicbids is a website where independent 
musicians can submit online press kits and get considered for radio play, festivals and different shows,” Paul Oliver, drummer of 
CBDB, said.

The online competition includes 64 bands and consists of 5 rounds of online voting from fans. CBDB is currently a finalist in the fourth round, and voting ends Saturday.

The band has utilized social media and recent gigs at Tuscaloosa bars and 
fraternities parties to encourage fans 
to vote.

“Playing at Bonnaroo would probably the biggest thing we’ve done,” said Kris Gottlieb, guitarist and vocalist.

The Doctors and The Lawyers will be competing in Reach For The Beach, a similar competition hosted by Mobile radio station 92ZEW. Reach For The Beach gives bands a chance to win a spot at The Hangout in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

“This would be huge,” keyboardist Taylor Atkinson said.

The Doctors and The Lawyers will have one chance to play a live set this weekend in Gulf Shores. Their competition score will be determined by collective votes from judges and audience members after their performance.

The Doctors and The Lawyers, who played at the Wakarusa Music Festival in Arkansas last year after winning the Waka Winter Classic competition in Birmingham, said a chance to play at the 
hangout would be a career high for them.

“This would be as big as Wakarusa was for us, except maybe even more influential because it’s so local,” Chris Wilhelm, lead vocalist and guitarist, said.

For more information about the Sonicbids contest, or to vote, visit 
sonicbids.bracketeers.com. For more information about Reach for the Beach, visit hangoutmusicfest.com.