Aisle 6, a local band of young musicians who recently won the 2008 Auburn Battle of the Bands competition, will open the Summertime Blues & Brews concert Friday, June 6, at the Blue Goose Fruit Shed in Loomis. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the show starts at 7 p.m.

Aisle 6 is an extraordinarily talented band. Spencer Kilpatrick, the lead guitarist, is exceptionally good. You'd think he was 30 years old instead of 17 or 18.

The concert features the Hammer Smith Band, starring national blues artist Chris "Hammer" Smith and his Hammer Smith Band.

Smith is considered to be one of the best harmonica players in the country.

Radio show host Mick Martin, three-time winner of the Best blues Band from the Sacramento Area Music Awards, said in the Loomis News that Smith "sounds like no one else" and is probably the most in-demand sessoin harmonica player in the U.S.

Auburn Journal, 3/26/08

Aisle 6 chills competition to win Battle of the Bands

Five groups entered ARD-sponsored event

By Loryll Nicolaisen, Journal Staff Writer

By performing some of their "pretty chill, laid back" tunes, local band Aisle 6 beat out the competition for first place at the Teen Night Out Battle of the Bands.

The group, made up of seven foothill teens, won four hours of professional studio time at Auburn Music Center after a solid performance at the battle.

Spencer Kilpatrick, 17, plays guitar with Aisle 6.

"I'm really excited," he said of winning. "I like playing shows and everything, but my favorite thing to do is record in the studio and create something that wasn't there before."

Kilpatrick said the Aisle 6 battle-of-the-bands set included three originals — "Question It All," "Let's Pretend" and "Baby, No" — and one cover, Jimi Hendrix's "Red House."

"It's good music you can bop your head to," he said, describing the Aisle 6 sound. "It's pretty chill, laid-back music."

Auburn Recreation District sponsored the Teen Night Out Battle of the Bands, held Saturday at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn.

Sheryl Petersen, ARD recreation services manager, said nearly 200 people attended the show.

"We consider the event a success and we're looking ahead to further venues that would include teen bands," she said.

Five bands — Aurelia, A New Rise, Sardel, Barb Wire and the aforementioned Aisle 6 — battled it out at Saturday's competition.

Sardel won second place and two hours of professional studio time with DB Audio in Loomis, said Dan Kajimura, an event coordinator.

Kajimura said two of the participating bands had never performed in a battle of the bands before Saturday.

"There's a big rush the first time you get on the stage — it's something you can't buy," he said.

Kajimura said the "battle" was just like one big all-age party.

It was very unusual in that it was a family event — we had everyone from grandparents to little kids. It was an all-ages event and we made it an all-ages event," he said.

Kajimura, like Petersen, believes the battle was a success.

"It's about getting together with a group of people who are doing something positive," he said.

Auburn Journal, 3/27/08

Our View: Rec district rocked on Battle of the Bands

If we don't give our teens something to do, they're going to find something to do.

And it might not be what we'd like. You know: sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.

But teens found a positive outlet for rock 'n' roll at last Saturday's first ever Teen Night Out Battle of the Bands.

The battle was part of the Teen Night Out program, which gives Auburn teens a place to "hang out" on their own — away from their meddling parents but under the supervisory eye of staff.

At Saturday's first-ever Teen Night Out Battle of the Bands, 200 youngsters showed up to rock out to future guitar heroes at the Gold Country Fairgrounds.

The five competing teen bands — Aurelia, A New Rise, Sardel, Barb Wire and Aisle 6 — entertained the crowd and had a chance to showcase their original and cover songs. Aisle 6 triumphed in this musical melee, and won professional studio time at Auburn Music Center.

Events such as these give encouragement to our teens to find positive ways to express themselves in our community. Not every teen is an athlete or a scholar, so supporting teens in all of their endeavors is important to engage our youth.

The Auburn Recreation District has created a positive environment for youngsters in the Teen Night Out program and now the Battle of the Bands. The fairgrounds has also been a great supporter of local teens by hosting the Battle of the Bands. Auburn Music Center donated professional studio time, further encouraging our teens in their musical dreams.

Sheryl Petersen and other innovative leaders at Auburn Recreation District are taking a positive, pro-active approach to helping our teens find productive ways to spend their time. They deserve our thanks.

In addition, the best idea Petersen expressed was having the teens decide what would be fun to do at their Teen Night Out. Only teenagers know what's cool for their peers at any given moment.

The Battle of the Bands was a success, helping our community's youth to tune into rock 'n' roll — and maybe skip over the sex and drugs part.