PoorHouse Kava is bringing live entertainment to the next level. We are officially launching Battle of the Bands — a weekly competition series every Wednesday night at our Fort Lauderdale location. Whether you are a band, solo artist, or comedian, this is your stage.
How Battle of the Bands Works
Our Battle of the Bands runs in six-week cycles. Each Wednesday is an audition night where performers take the stage and compete for audience votes and judge scores. At the end of the cycle, the top-ranked acts face off in a Showcase Finale for prizes and bragging rights.
The Weekly Format
Each Wednesday night follows this format:
- Performer check-in — Scheduled acts arrive and get ready
- Live performances — Each act gets a time slot to perform for the crowd
- Audience voting — Everyone in the bar votes on their phone (1 to 5 stars)
- Judge scoring — A panel scores each performance on technique, originality, stage presence, and crowd engagement
- Results — Scores are combined and displayed on the leaderboard
Your scores carry over week to week. The more you perform during a cycle, the higher you can climb on the leaderboard.
Who Can Compete?
We welcome three types of performers:
- Bands — Any size, any genre
- Solo artists — Singers, musicians, singer-songwriters
- Comedians — Stand-up, improv, sketch
All genres are welcome. Rock, hip hop, jazz, folk, electronic, country, comedy — if you can bring it to a stage, we want to see it.
How to Sign Up
Registration is free and takes about two minutes:
- Go to poorhousekava.com/performer/register
- Fill out your name, email, performer type, genre, and a short bio
- Upload a profile photo so the audience knows who you are
- Submit your registration
Your account will be reviewed and approved by our team. Once approved, you will be eligible to be scheduled for upcoming Wednesday nights.
Already registered? Log in to your performer dashboard to check your status.
How Voting Works
We want the audience to be part of the show. When a performer takes the stage, everyone in the bar can vote from their phone:
- Scan the QR code or enter the join code displayed on the TV
- After each performance, rate the act from 1 to 5 stars
- Your votes count toward the performer's weekly and cycle-wide score
The combination of audience votes and judge scores determines the leaderboard rankings. We keep the weighting fair — crowd favorites and technically skilled performers both have a path to the top.
Prizes and the Showcase Finale
At the end of each six-week cycle, the top-ranked performers are invited to the Showcase Finale. This is the big night — a packed house, a full production, and prizes for the top three finishers.
Prize details are announced at the start of each cycle. Stay tuned to our social media and check the Battle of the Bands page for current cycle information.
Why PoorHouse Kava?
We are not a typical bar. PoorHouse Kava is a kava bar and botanical lounge in Fort Lauderdale — a place where people come to hang out, relax, and enjoy the community. Adding live entertainment is a natural extension of what we already do.
Our vibe is laid-back but engaged. The audience at PoorHouse actually watches and listens. Performers get a crowd that cares, not background noise.
Important Details
- When: Every Wednesday night
- Where: PoorHouse Kava, Fort Lauderdale
- Cost to compete: Free
- Cost to attend: Free (just come in and order your favorite drink)
- How to sign up: poorhousekava.com/performer/register
- Check the leaderboard: poorhousekava.com/battle-of-the-bands/leaderboard
Get Started Now
If you have been looking for a stage in Fort Lauderdale, this is it. Register as a performer today and get on the schedule for the next Wednesday audition night.
For the audience — just show up on Wednesday. Grab a kava, grab a seat, and vote for your favorites. The best local talent in Broward is about to get a spotlight.
See you Wednesday.