This year, Athens joins the growing number of cities—including Portland, OR, Lafayette, LA and Charleston, SC—that participate in BandSwap, a program that pairs one up-and-coming band from each host city with a group from the organization's home base of Fort Collins, CO for a blowout show in the local band's hometown.

In our case, said show will happen at the 40 Watt Club in September. In addition, all BandSwap bands will travel expenses-paid to Colorado for the BandSwap Homecoming festival the first weekend in October.

Throughout the process, BandSwap will provide networking and educational opportunities, as well as marketing materials for each event and a sizable stipend for each band member.

Flagpole has been tasked with choosing this year's Athens BandSwap band, and we're opening the application process up to local musicians. If you're in a band, and the program seems like something you'd like to participate in—and everyone in your group will be able to carve out several days to travel to Colorado this fall—shoot an email to music@flagpole.com by Wednesday, May 28 with the subject line "BandSwap application." Please include your band's name, a brief bio, a photo and links to any music/videos you have streaming online.

Feel free to include any questions you have about BandSwap or the application process. We'll choose Athens' BandSwap representative June 1 and notify the winner shortly thereafter.

Check out this informational video: