The annual Battle of the Bands final was held on Thursday, Nov. 20 in the gym. Five acts, three bands and two singer/songwriters, graced the stage to compete for a grand prize. The band Rubenstein Drive-By won first place, followed by band Doodlebob in second, and singer/songwriter sophomore Cordelia Degher, who won last year, in third. Band Be All, End All and singer/songwriter sophomore KennadyTracy also competed.
The first band, Doodlebop, opened up to a sizable and enthusiastic crowd. Students had screen printed t-shirts with the band’s logo on the front and fake tour dates on the back to show their support. Being a quite rambunctious band capable of stirring up quite a ruckus, lead singer junior Jack Mouzas warned the crowd against “moshing, circle moshing, crowd surfing, etc.” The set lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Tracy followed, singing and strumming on her guitar to original songs about love and relationship loss. She expressed many thanks for being able to perform and making it as far as she did, while also congratulating Doodlebob on their performance and psyching the crowd up for the bands to come. The environment at the competition was very amicable with all bands praising their amazing crowd and the other talented performers.
The band Be All, End All, falling into the category of self-proclaimed “living-room punk,” followed Tracy. They played original songs coming off their upcoming first EP. The songs they played they were proud of and they were glad that everybody could hear them too.
After Be All, End All was a short intermission. ASB sold food and drinks such as cookies, brownies, and coffee. The crowd and performers intermingled with each other, talking about the bands that had already played, and the ones to come.
After the intermission, Degher performed as a solo act. She sang original pieces, overwhelming the crowd with her powerful and smooth voice.
The final band to perform was Rubenstein Drive-By. This band made a statement, coming out to perform in large wigs and zany costumes, reminiscent of an 80s hair band. They played a short set full of energy and powerful chords, performing original and old, famous tunes.
While the five judges were tallying and debating scores, Doodlebob and Rubenstein Drive-By jumped on stage to perform a quick jam session. The crowd loved it, with fans congregating behind a thin strip of yellow tape separating the performers from the audience and making up synchronized dance moves.
Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. Senior Haily Reeves, the DJ for the night, who had been vamping up the crowd, asked everyone for a drumroll as she announced the winners. The bands walked up on stage, collected their prizes, and saluted the audience. The night quickly came to a close.