By guest blogger Angela Hart

Winning certainly isn’t everything when you’re a struggling Bay Area musician.

Opportunities to play live aren’t easy to come by, especially at a venue like the Great American Music Hall, where five local bands participated in Bay Rising’s 2nd annual music competition Wednesday night.

“More than winning we’re exited to be playing at the Great American Music Hall,” said lead singer of the French Cassettes Scott Huerta. It almost topped their ideal gig of a packed show at the Fillmore — or underwater in a bubble.

And the other bands agree.

“This place is classic, and we’re honored to play here and meet other bands in the Bay Area music scene,” said Janie Oliver, lead singer for electric soul band Weather Pending.

“We didn’t even expect to make the semi-finals,” said drummer for The Dandelion War, Julius Magibay. Taking their influences from Coldplay and Radiohead, lead singer Larry Fernandez says he’s happier to play at a renowned venue, over winning.

The band entranced the audience with their xylophone ringing and maracas shaking in a song titled “the Petals of Lipaceli,” written for Fernandez’s mother, who was in the audience.

Joel Streeter took third place with a stunning performance with his acoustic guitar — sounds like country twang meets modern rock.

The contest was decided by judges rating the competitors in categories ranging from stage presence and originality to audience enthusiasm.