Bands battle to be in contest

Stop by Bonita Canyon Sports Park Aug. 20 and you might see “20 Lb. Donkey.”

No, the county fair hasn’t jumped over to Newport Beach ? 20 Lb. Donkey is one of the bands that have requested applications to compete in Newport Beach’s Battle of the Bands later this month.

Monday was the deadline to apply, and after huge interest ? more than 80 people requested applications ? the city had 32 entries by the close of business. City recreation manager Matt Lohr said a few more entries might come in today’s mail.

The applicants were mainly three- to five-piece groups that ran the gamut of styles, including oldies, jazz, reggae and modern rock, Lohr said.

“They’re a wide range, from teenage bands all the way up to bands that have played 20, 30 years together,” he said.

Judges will pick six to eight bands to play at “Sunday Funday,” an Aug. 20 event at Bonita Canyon Sports Park, and the winner there will perform at the October grand finale of the city’s centennial celebration.

Sunday Funday, with live music and family games, was launched when the sports park opened in 2004, and last year a Battle of the Bands was thrown in as a one-time event.

But the caliber of applicants was so high, officials decided to keep it up.

Soul act Natusol won the top prize in last year’s battle.

This year, the prize is more than just the glory of winning: The band judges pick as the winner will get to play at the city’s final centennial event, which will include fireworks shows and musical acts at the Newport and Balboa piers.

“We’re thinking it’s going to be a historic concert,” said Gerald Ishibashi, whose band will play the event.

He’s also booking the entertainment. Ishibashi estimated upwards of 30,000 people will attend the shows at the piers.

“It’s definitely going to be the biggest concert ever held in Newport Beach,” he said.