It’s a classic amateur rock star fantasy. The young upstart band faces off against their devious rivals in front of a rowdy crowd at the local Battle of the Bands. In the end, our musically inclined heroes prove their mettle in front of the riled-up fans, winning the respect of their peers, as well as eternal rock glory.

Many a future rock star has had variations on that dream scenario, and for many years at Marquette University, it wasn’t just a dream. Since 2007, Marquette Radio has hosted a Battle of the Bands concert at the Union Sports Annex.

This year, however, the war between Marquette musical groups has come to a ceasefire, but the music rages on. Rather than pit bands against each other, MU Radio will simply put them together for Spotlight MKE, a free show at the Annex this Saturday.

For Chelsie Layman, a sophomore in the College of Communication and assistant music director at MU Radio, the change is not to decrease the intensity of the event and its performers but instead to increase the show’s professional standards.

“I think when any band that’s trying to make it or trying to do something bigger than just a garage band (hears) ‘Battle of the Bands,’ they think high school and not very professional,” Layman said. “We wanted to get a better level of music, and the best way to do that was to change the way we’re presenting the event.”

Chris Morales, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and drummer for The Living Statues, one of the groups performing at Spotlight MKE, finds the show’s change in theme and focus to be a positive for the event, as well as for the people in attendance.

“By doing the Spotlight MKE, it adds a bit of sophistication,” Morales said. “It’s more accepting; people are more welcome to come to the event.”

Also helping to draw more people to the show is the wide variety of musical guests scheduled to perform. There are nine total groups performing at Spotlight MKE, each with a different kind of musical style to share with the crowd. The only real connection between the bands and performers is that they are almost all Marquette or Milwaukee-based.

“I think MU Radio did a good job of encapsulating all different tastes so people with those different tastes can enjoy something,” Morales said. “It’s a medley; you can go get the feel of a Claire Kelly (a singer-songwriter performing) or the vibe of a punk band.”

Joining The Living Statues and Claire Kelly on stage will be DJ William “Buffalo Bill” Braden, solo guitar artist Charlie Giger, alt rockers Crows Over New York, acoustic indie folk artist Nathan Mathes, alternative guitar duo The Gazettiers, genre-bending rock band The Siege Perilous and 90s-esque trio The Hops.

Though the show used to be classified as a battle, Charlie Giger, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, noted that even then, MU Radio’s event always had a relatively laid-back feel that should continue on with Spotlight MKE.

“They called it that, but it wasn’t really enforced,” Giger said. “I never really thought of it as a battle.”

Adding to the more relaxed atmosphere of the event is the fact that some of the groups have worked with each other before. For instance, Claire Kelly, a freshman in the College of Health Sciences, opened for the The Living Statues’ show last Saturday night at the Annex. As a result, the groups have a strong mutual respect for each other and their musical stylings.

Kelly is not only one of the younger musicians slated to perform, but she is also the lone female to hit the stage. The self-taught musician, who began developing her songwriting skills by penning Avril Lavigne parodies as a seventh grader, is not afraid of the spotlight.

“Performing isn’t really something I get nervous for,” Kelly said. “It’s just kind of something that I embrace and love.”

One should not confuse the lack of a battle element for a lack of motivation for the performers. In addition to other prizes, the winning band or performer at Spotlight MKE gets to open for the WMUR Spring Concert, which normally takes place in April.

Though the groups for this year’s Spring Concert haven’t been announced yet, last year’s show featured up-and-coming rappers, such as The Dean’s List and Machine Gun Kelly. As a result, an opening gig for that show can provide a great platform for a new artist to get his or her music out to more people, as well as network with other growing musicians.

In order to win the big prize, many of the bands are doing their best to enhance their songs and acts. The Living Statues just recently added Alex Thornburg, a senior in the College of Engineering, to play the bass and, according to Morales, “bring a Don Draper-esque cool” to the band. In addition to his usual set, Giger has been experimenting with new material and trying out additional musicians to make his set the best it can be.

In the end, despite the big prize, Spotlight MKE is about exactly what its title implies.

“Believe it or not, there’s great music in Milwaukee,” Layman said. “We want to showcase that.”