VEAZIE – Like, hey, man, it will be really groovy to see a crowd of rock ‘n’ roll fans gather to hear 10 local bands. The performers will crank up the amps at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at the Veazie Community Field to vie for a $1,000 grand prize as the top band at the Veazie Midsummer Music Challenge. The winners also will receive three hours of recording time at My Thrill Studio.

Gates open at 1 p.m.

Music will run on two stages until 8 p.m., and proceeds will benefit the Instruments for Kids program at Veazie Community School.

One of the bands that will showcase its talents is Freedom, whose four members have a combined 165 years of musical experience.

Each musician has a “day” job in addition to performing. Butch Free, the band’s keyboard player, is superintendent of Public Works for the town of Veazie. He has played in bands since 1966, and was selected Maine’s Keyboard Player of the Year and Country Music Vocalist of the Year in 1986.

The lead vocalist and bass player is Doug Baker, a songwriter with a song currently under contract with a major national recording company. Freedom regularly performs Baker’s original tunes.

Roger Treadwell is the head mechanic for a local auto service company. For 38 years he has played everything from hard rock to country, and his versatility is a key element in Freedom’s recognition as one of the top local bands.

Jim Trudel, a retired Air National Guard pilot, is the band’s other vocalist and lead guitarist. Trudel began playing guitar in high school nearly 44 years ago. Like Butch Free, he has played in numerous bands throughout New England.

Freedom continues to perform on a fairly regular basis, but like other bands wishes there were more opportunities to perform live in the area. At one time Greater Bangor had quite a few dance halls, bars, community centers and school dances where local musicians could showcase their talents. These venues have dwindled to only a few. Although Freedom performs paying gigs, they also welcome the opportunity to play at benefit functions.

Nine other bands will compete as well.

. Ron Cunningham of the New Society Band has performed for several decades and is the owner of Rockin’ Ron’s in Brewer, where he and his band play every weekend.

. The Retro Rockerz have as members Joe Bennett, Shawn Yardley, Jim Dowe and Andy Meade Sr.

. A high school band called Kids with Swords have hopes of becoming jukebox heroes.

. Glosoli, a three-girl band, have uploaded some of their songs on MySpace.com.

. Andy Meade Jr. and Friends formed a band in an attempt to upstage his dad, Andy Sr. of the Retro Rockerz.

. Colin Graebert and Seth Grondin, both Bangor High School graduates, have recently formed the band D3-5, a reference to the high school chorus room where musically inclined students liked to hang out.

. Also competing will be Whirling Dervishes from Hampden. The musicians enjoy the Beatles and rock ‘n’ roll.

. Several members of Propel have formed a new band led by Andy Koncinsky on drums. It is possible their new name will be announced at the Music Challenge. For now they are known as Rock On With Andy K.

. Head Net will play, as well.

Judging criteria will include musicianship, difficulty, precision, lyrics, vocals, solos, arrangement, instrumentation, interaction with crowd, choreography, costuming, effects, showmanship, crowd reaction, professionalism, handling adversity and adherence to competition rules.

A loosely formed committee of Veazie and Bangor residents organized the Music Challenge as a fundraiser to benefit Veazie Community School’s Instruments for Kids Program, said Bill Masters.

He said the group hopes that several five hours of nonstop rock ‘n’ roll from two stages will attract enthusiasts of the genre.

Admission is $10 per person. For families or groups of three to six people the cost is $25, $5 for each additional person after the first six. Those wearing a tie-dye shirt will be admitted for $8.

A concession area sponsored by Reed Gagnon and Sweet’s Market will be available. Attendees are reminded to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

The music challenge is sponsored by the town of Veazie, Bangor Metro magazine, Dahl-Chase Pathology Associates, My Thrill Studio, Mark Francis, Merrill Merchants Bank, Sweet’s Market, Knapp’s Music, Veazie Mini-Mart, V-Z Food and Gas, Sephone Internet Solutions, Leadbetter’s Super Shops, Medical Depot, Absolute Accounting, Main 1 Travel; MacKenzie, Duska and Gerry Hayman; and Michael and Daniel Carey in loving memory of nurse Paula Carey.

The rain date is Saturday, July 29.