When someone says Battle of the Bands, what comes to mind? For many people it's the image of high school talent shows that are often devoid of the key word -- "talent." Others imagine intensely serious marching bands ready to fight to the death. While that would be awesome to behold, the University Program Council's second annual Battle of the Bands has much more to offer. Feb. 11 eight bands are sure to shake the foundations of the Student Activities Building.
Maraschino, Happy Hour Hero, Minus the Sidekick, Dreaming Isabelle, Sweetbriar, Long Way East, Sons of Bill and Silent Diner were plucked from 26 applicants to vie for the title of best University band.
In addition to earning the adoration of University students, the winning band will be awarded $300, two days of free studio recording time at Crystalphonic Studios, air time on 91.9 WNRN's Station Break 3 CD and a spot on the 2006 Springfest lineup.
Last year, the genres were eclectic, ranging from Christian rock to punk. This year UPC has mixed up another round of diverse styles and personalities. What remains constant is the presence of at least one University student in each band.
Punk group Maraschino features third year TJ Ensele as lead singer and temporary bassist Alex Mernin, also a third year. In the other corner, Sons of Bill comes out swinging and uses a full roster of current University students and an alumnus to support their honky-tonk sound.
Rock and alternative bands will be large contenders in this battle royale. Long Way East, Sweetbriar, Minus the Sidekick and Dreaming Isabelle all cite artists such as The Beatles, Gin Blossoms and Jimmy Eat World as major influences. Sons of Bill's lead singer, third-year James Wilson, said that his father, Bill Wilson, a dean in the College, is responsible for their sound.
"We grew up listening to Ralph Stanley and Merle Haggard songs that he played," the younger Wilson said.
What Battle of the Bands would be complete without a jam band like Silent Diner?
Although some of the bands, like Sweetbriar and Long Way East, enjoy covering their favorite artists, all the participants write their own music and lyrics.
Long Way East member Adam Long, a fourth year, describes the writing process as a collaborative effort.
Dreaming Isabelle lead singer Daniel Lipton, also a fourth year, agreed.
"I write all the songs, but [the band] arranges them. I just bring something in on acoustic guitar, and everyone has their ideas. The backup vocals and all that stuff [are] largely the responsibility of the whole band," Lipton said.
Despite different musical styles and techniques, a common thread in this year's battle is that many of the participants have been in other musical groups. Long Way East members James East and Adam Long have a thriving acoustic side project; the band also features a member of the University Jazz Ensemble. The members of Dreaming Isabelle met each other through The Virginia Gentlemen, an a cappella group. Throughout his life, Maraschino drummer Jeff Wortman "sang and played saxophone and guitar and pretty much everything; he's incredibly musical," said bandmate Ensele.
You're probably asking yourself how these bands manage to be such successful musicians while wrangling classes, sleep and parties.
"It's definitely tough. I'm a fourth year, civil engineering, and James is either pre-med or starting graduate school next year. So our schedules are pretty intense; we try to make time for it... But we really enjoy it; it is a good way to release the tension from school," Long said.
The members of Maraschino also lament the difficulties of being in a college band.
"We actually don't do too much during the school year besides practicing on our own. It's been really hard, since we're all going to different schools, to get together and do stuff. So mostly we've been trying to get stuff together over the summer and winter breaks," Ensele said.
Even though these eight bands have a lifelong membership to The Busy-as-Hell Club, their performance rituals help to take off some of the stress.
"We always take a shot of Jack Daniels before we play," Minus the Sidekick's Tom O'Halloran said. "That's in addition to any other shots of Jack Daniels that we've already had, but there's always one last one right before we go on stage."
They aren't the only ones to find that beverages help with stage performance. According to Ensele, Maraschino likes "to chug energy drinks before the show to just have more stage presence and energy."
With liquid courage coursing through their veins, the participants in the Battle of the Bands are sure to go down in the books.
But winning isn't everything. Many of the bands see this as an opportunity to play on a bigger stage and attract new fans.
"We don't want to go into it with any pressure," Long said. "[We just want to] be the band that got us here"
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