Calling All Bands for the Bank of the West Celebrates America Band Contest

Calling All Bands for the Bank of the West Celebrates America Band Contest

OMAHA, Neb., May 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West will again host a Facebook band contest, looking for an up-and-coming band  to open for Huey Lewis and The News and Mockingbird Sun, and perform before thousands of people at the Bank of the West Celebrates America concert and fireworksshow.  Set for Friday, June 29, 2012, at Memorial Park in Omaha, Nebraska, Bank of the West Celebrates America is one of the West's largest outdoor free concerts.

Contest details are on the Bank of the West Facebook page, facebook.com/BankoftheWest.  The public can recommend their favorite up-and-coming bands and then vote for their favorite band. Input for selecting the winning band also will be provided by judges representing Hollywood's top talent agencies, including Warner Atlantic Records, Creative Artists Agency, award-winning Romeo Entertainment Group and others, as well as San Francisco-based Bank of the West.

"The Bank of the West Celebrates America Band Contest is a nationwide competition that allows fans to vote for their favorite bands, and invites bands to compete to open for Huey Lewis and The News and Mockingbird Sun," said Robert Dalrymple, Executive Vice President, Bank of the West's Great Plains Division. "The winning band has the opportunity to showcase their talent before talent agencies and a crowd of thousands in Omaha's beautiful Memorial Park."

After the top finalists are chosen by the judges, the winning band will be determined by its popularity among online voters along with its musical talent and star power. The judges will consider musical talent, such as musical ability, expertise and originality of music, and star power, including stage presence, personality and creativity.

The public has been invited to nominate their favorite up-and-coming bands on Bank of the West's Facebook page between May 1 and May 15, 2012. Online public voting for the winning band will be June 1-15, 2012 on Bank of the West's Facebook page. Bank of the West will announce the winning band in mid-June.

About Bank of the West
Founded in 1874, $62.4 billion-asset Bank of the West (http://www.bankofthewest.com), member FDIC and equal housing lender, offers a full range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services. The bank operates more than 700 retail and commercial banking locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees.

facebook.com/BankoftheWest

CelebratesAmerica.com

SOURCE  Bank of the West

Bank of the West

CONTACT: Social Media, Joel Nathanson, +1-415-399-8286 (office) or +1-415-722-9722 (mobile), joel.nathanson@bankofthewest.com, or Corporate Communications, Lily Ruiz, +1-415-765-4850 (office) or +1-415-846-7494 (mobile), lily.ruiz@bankofthewest.com, both of Bank of the West

Web Site: http://www.facebook.com/BankoftheWest