PLAY WITH SHWAYZE CONTEST: The Finalists

We told you Shwayze was coming. We told you we needed a band to open for Shwayze. And you didn't disappoint.

Some of the local bands in the Rio Grande Valley have rabid fans who made sure to bombard our Web site with nomination after nomination of their favorites. Now, meet the six acts (in no particular order) who are vying for the chance to open the show for Shwayze.

DAMAJA SQUAD Damaja Squad have opened for acts such as Ludacris and the Ying Yang twins. They began back in early 2000 with just two guys rapping, but became a bigger act when they added a DJ, drums, guitar and bass to form a hip hop band.

THE NEPTONES One of the few ska bands in South Texas, The Neptones have been mixing things up in the Valley music scene for a couple years. The 7 band members are friends and say they put on a great show not only because of the music, but because of the group's energy.

THE BROKEN POETZ The Broken Poetz combine a full rock band with three MCs. The six piece band's electric live shows have generated much buzz as of late, winning them a tough battle of the bands contest in the summer.

SHAWN ELLIOT Shawn Elliot is a seasoned hip hop performer who came up in South Florida. He's here in the Valley now, brining his excellent flows and shows to local crowds.

C-STYLES C-Styles is an up and coming Valley rapper. He's collaborated with many on the local music scene, and he's preparing an album for release later this fall.

FUTURE Future of Dem ATM Boyz is on his own now, having come up as part of one of the biggest hip hop acts in the Valley.

Each of these acts will perform live at Cine El Rey on Monday, Sept. 15, for you. The show will be free, so grab your friends and come support your favorite local artist. After the show, video clips of each performance will be posted at themonitor.com, where you can vote for the best performer.

You will be helping decide who will open for Shwayze on Sept. 25.