Fremont Street Experience hosts Battle of the Bands

After Billboard.com voters selected their favorite acts among Billboard’s hand-picked pool of 18 under-the-radar artists across the U.S., six bands will now advance to a head-to-head live competition at the Fremont Street Experience on Wednesday.

The 8 p.m. event features a panel of judges led by Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath.

The finalists, one from each a separate region of the country – Hotels (Seattle), AJ Rafael (Moreno Valley, CA), Lightning Love (Detroit), Otenki (Houston), Side By Side (Charlotte, NC), and Gentlemen Hall (Boston) – are vying for a coveted performance slot on the 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Emceed by McGrath, the six bands will perform to prove they have the chops to share the stage with music’s hottest stars including Rihanna, The Black Eyed Peas, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Taio Cruz and more.

The first 10 fans to check-in at Fremont Experience via Foursquare between 6:00-7:00pm will win a meet & greet with Mark McGrath.