Two for Tuesday in Myrtle Beach

OK, more blah weather at the beach today, but that doesn't mean you have to be a shut-in.
If you're a live music-lover, I've rustled up a couple of local events that should be of interest tonight (Tuesday, March 3).

THE BATTLE OF EVERMORE

The first round of the annual Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands kicks off tonight at the pyramid-shaped Hard Rock Cafe at Broadway at the Beach.

Tonight's competitors are: local pop/rock singer-songwriter Jimmy Mowery, North Carolina-based country-soul singer-songwriter Erik Smallwood, Carrboro, N.C.'s electro-rock outfit LightWorks and the act with the best name: Society's Lust of Propaganda (SLOP), a headbanging ensemble from Fayettenam, I mean Fayetteville, N.C.
The action begins at 8 tonight and there is no cover charge. Audience reaction is part of the judging criterion, so if you know any of these acts, or like their music, you should show up and make some noise.
It's right back into the fray on Wednesday as the battle continues with performances by The Izm, Deep Sky, 21st Century Goliath and The Day of Night. This round kicks off at 8 p.m. and there is no cover.
On Friday, yours truly is one of the judges, and I'll be going all Simon Cowell on performers IBC, Matt Tucker, Jenius Beats and Oceans Orange, also at 8 p.m., and of course there's no cover.
The winners of each round will advance to the finals on March 13 at Hard Rock Cafe, with the regional champ advancing to the international competition for a chance to perform at the Hard Rock Rising 2015 festival in Barcelona, Spain.
Hard Rock Café is at 1322 Celebrity Circle, Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach. Call 946-0007 or visit www.hardrock.com.

BUDDY BLUES

Grand Strand prodigal son Todd Roth, aka My Buddy Todd, a roots blues musician who uprooted and followed his muse to Austin, Texas a few years ago, returns to the beach for a handful of gigs including hosting My Buddy Todd Blues Night tonight at Island Bar and Grill near Surfside Beach.
Roth will be joined by his buddy/drummer Ian Dunning Brown.
The show is set to start at 8:25 tonight, after the bar's regular trivia event.
There is no cover charge.
If you get there early, the Island Bar is also serving a steak dinner starting at 5 p.m. - featuring  ribeye, loaded mashed potatoes, salad and dinner roll for $12.99 - and also on tap (pun intended) is the tapping of New Belgium's Slow Ride Session IPA (queue up the Foghat).
Island Bar and Grill is at 2272 Glenns Bay Road, Surfside Beach. Call 650-3157 or visit www.islandbarandgrill.com.
Check out his tunes at www.reverbnation.com/mybuddytodd.