Envisioned as a cross between a musical concert, a competition and a reality show, last year’s popular “Build the Band” is back for an encore and is set to take the Miller Theater stage Saturday night.
All proceeds from the now annual event will benefit Habitat for Humanity.
Build the Band is the brainchild of Habitat for Humanity CEO Bernadette Kelliher, who developed the concept as a way to celebrate Augusta’s amazing local musical talent, while raising funding and awareness for Habitat’s local mission.
Kelliher says it wasn’t that much of a stretch to switch from building houses to building bands.
“This event reflects our commitment to community. The journey from building homes to building bands may seem like a leap, but at its core, both endeavors empower us to uplift our community. It’s about coming together, harmonizing our strengths and making an impact,” Killiher said.
Local veteran musician Will McCranie participated in last year’s event, winning with his “arranged” band, “Yeet” and says his experience working with the non-profit led to him making a career change and he now serves as the group’s senior director of business development.
“Once I learned more about the mission of Habitat for Humanity, it just seemed like the perfect fit,” McCranie said.
The Augusta musician will bring Yeet back to the stage to perform, but will not compete.
Judges for the competition this year will be Russell Joel Brown, Karen Gordon, Coco Rubio, Scott Seidl, Joe Stevenson and David Watts.
For the show, four local musicians are selected as “leaders” and then they are assigned a lineup of musicians that they’ve never worked with and charged with creating a band from scratch.
“You typically build a band around the sound in your head, but in this case you build the sound around the talented musicians you’re gifted,” McCranie explained.
During the show, the audience becomes involved with their votes, and each vote serves as a donation to Habitat For Humanity. The judges also take part in participating as the live show evolves, meaning there are plenty of surprises every time the curtain rises and falls.
In a change from last year, audience members can vote for their favorite band ahead of the show by visiting the Build the Band website. Tickets to the show can also be purchased through the website.
Legendary Augusta musician Karen Gordon, known lovingly as “The Empress of Cool,” says she was excited and humbled to be asked to judge in the competition.
“I am super excited to watch people get put in unexpected situations and watch them make magic. It is really a microcosm of the way things come about when we stretch our horizons,” Gordon said.
An organization that will forever be tied to former President Jimmy Carter and his philanthropic efforts, Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity serves Columbia and Richmond Counties with the goal of building homes, community, and hope.
Since the local affiliate’s inception in 1986, they have partnered with over 85 families, turning the dream of homeownership into a reality.
Doors at the Miller Theater open tomorrow night 6 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter, Editorial Page Editor and weekly columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
