This post was written by Hatchet reporter Cailley LaPara.

Described as a non-sucky battle of the bands, the D.C. Emerging Artists Super Sampler is a chance to discover the next big thing when you’ve grown weary of the carousel of artists at U Street Music and the 9:30 Club.

The lineup includes nearly a dozen bands who hail from the Maryland-Virginia-D.C. area. Hosted by Brightest Young Things, many of the artists are straight off the site’s 25 Artists to Watch in 2014.

The show features artists including Shelia D Yeah, Loud Boyz, Pleasure Curses, and Me & This Army, with genres from rap to hip-hop to indie.

Brandon Weight, the event organizer at Brightest Young Things, said the event is “less focused on being some massive festival and more so trying to expose people in D.C. to new music and especially local music.”

“It’s nice to get in on these bands early, especially when they’re in your own backyard,” Weight added

Howard Theater 603 T St. NW, Saturday 7 p.m. to 2 am. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.