Rock 'n' Roll Rumble

the Boston music festival

The Rock 'n' Roll Rumble (now stylized as "Rock & Roll Rumble"; formerly the "WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble"), begun in 1979, is a Greater Boston "battle of the bands" competition sponsored by Boston Emissions, an online local music program formerly broadcast on WBCN (from 1987 until 2008) and WZLX (from 2009 until 2018). The Rumble remains the longest running event of its kind in the US. Its predecessors were the Bicentennial Tournament of the Bands held in 1976 at The Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and co sponsored by WBCN and Inn Square Men's Bar, as well as 1978's First Annual Spring Rock 'n' Roll Festival co sponsored by WBCN and the Boston Phoenix. The Rock 'n' Roll Rumble was held in Boston at the Rathskeller in Kenmore Square for its first two years and was often referred to as "the Rumble at the Rat". Steve Morse of the Boston Globe called the 1979 debut competition "nine nights of exhilarating grass roots rock." Since then, the competition's venue has changed several times but remains a popular showcase for New England bands to gain visibility. The Rumble is hosted and produced by Boston DJ Anngelle Wood, host of Boston Emissions. The 2020 Rumble was originally scheduled to begin on April 9, 2020, but was first postponed, and then canceled, due to the COVID 19 pandemic; the 2021 and 2022 Rumbles were also canceled. The Rumble returned in April 2023 to one of its original homes, The Middle East and Sonia, the former home of TT the Bear's Place, within the Middle East venue complex, in Cambridge's Central Square.

The Rumble in its current form begins in April with six preliminary rounds of 24 total bands, as selected by Anngelle Wood. Through 2017, the prelims took place on Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday, with Wednesday as a traditional "Day of Rest"; beginning in 2019, the prelims were split over two consecutive weekends. Each night, four bands play a 30 minute set and are judged by a rotating selection of representatives from the Boston music industry. A winner is announced at the end of the night. Each night's winner moves on to the semi finals the following weekend, with two wildcard bands rounding out the top 8. The two semi final winners are joined by one wildcard band for the final round the week after that. A special guest, often a national touring band or a previous Rumble participant, headlines the finals while the judges come to their final decision. Prizes include cash, studio time, legal services, album production, bragging rights, and more. A ceremonial tiara is also passed from the previous year's winning act to the newly crowned champion.

As a courtesy to the music community, Rock & Roll Rumble host and organizer, Anngelle Wood, does provide a way for bands to submit for consideration. Certain requirements for consideration do apply. They include, but are not limited to:

Band or artist must have sent music to, and received airplay on Boston Emissions with Anngelle Wood, online at BostonEmissions. com
Band or artist should be established in the music community and actively playing out in the area. Band or artist must have released a new recording song, video, EP or full length, within the past calendar year.

1995: Pooka Stew, then one of the area's top drawing live rock acts, were two songs into their finals set when the power to the PA in the Middle East went off without explanation. The band finished their set without the PA, which came on again for eventual winner Doc Hopper's set. In their finals set, Doc Hopper destroyed a toilet onstage with sledge hammers. 1999: After a tie in the semifinals, which would have given a three way final matchup, WBCN introduced a wild card into the final round. 2010: There was no Rock 'n' Roll Rumble this year, due to the reorganization of CBS Radio's Boston stations and the loss of WBCN's FM broadcast. 2011: Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents made Rumble history by becoming the first band to drop out of the competition, due to a scheduling conflict, after winning their preliminary night. This allowed a previously eliminated band, OldJack, to re enter the competition in the semifinal round, having been the runner up on the night that Jenny Dee won. 2012: The Grownup Noise withdrew from the Rumble (prior to performing) due to an injury sustained by one of its members; they were invited back as the non competing guest band to play at the finals. 2013: Night two of the semifinals was postponed due to the lockdown of the city during the April 19 manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombing suspects. 2014: FEINTS withdrew from the competition, prior to their semifinal performance, due to illness. Yellabird, as runner up in the preliminary round, assumed their place in the semifinals. 2017: Past Rumble winners (Goddamn Draculas, Zip Tie Handcuffs, Eddie Japan, Girls Guns and Glory, John Powhida International Airport) played early, stripped down shows in the lounge area of Once as part of a "Winner Winner Come For Dinner" promotion during the preliminary nights. A fire alarm during the finals forced the evacuation of the Once Ballroom during Carissa Johnson's set. Johnson went on to win the Rumble. 2018: In November 2017, Boston Emissions host station WZLX was sold to iHeartMedia, and the transition and reorganization forced a postponement of the 2018 Rumble. 2019: After the long running radio show, Boston Emissions, was cancelled by the new station owners, radio show host and event producer, Anngelle Wood, organized the Rock & Roll Rumble independently. 2020: The Coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of the 2020 Rumble; two bands, OroborO and The Only Things, withdrew from the competition, as they were unable to play the rescheduled July dates.