Battle of the Bands is an annual competition held in the high school auditorium, where student bands perform both original and cover songs. Six bands were selected this year to compete for a $525 prize pool, with three judges determining the top three performers. The event takes place every BLAST Week on Friday and is scheduled for Feb. 13. With strong promotion and consistently high attendance, Battle of the Bands is easily one of the most anticipated student events of the year.
Although Battle of the Bands is a competition, it also brings students together through a shared love of music. The advertised prize for winning is money, but to many bands, the victory comes in participation.
Sophomore Sheldon Farley, a guitarist and vocalist for The Apple Blossoms, said his band formed “almost entirely because of Battle of the Bands,” adding that they enjoyed it so much they decided to keep playing together.
Junior Lily Berg, a multi-instrumentalist for Orchard, said the event allows musicians to showcase their talents while building connections. She added that it “connects us by giving us a chance to grow strong relationships and share a love of music.”
Behind the scenes, preparation for the event requires months of planning and coordination. Junior Avery Crickenberger, one of the event’s coordinators, said the process involves extensive communication and organization.
“There are so many logistical things that go into this,” Crickenberger said. “Everyone really needs to be communicating well, which we’ve done a good job of so far.”
In addition to event planning, bands can also spend several months preparing their performances. Songs and routines can take extensive time to develop, requiring practice and dedication to perfect.
“For our band, we learn our songs, discuss our set order, refine everything and do that for a couple of months leading up to the event,” Farley said.
Beyond the competition itself, Battle of the Bands gives young musicians a platform to express themselves. Music is an art for these performers and everyone has their own style. Crickenberger said the event highlights the diversity of talent within the school.
“It’s so good to have this community,” Crickenberger said. “It also helps show the diversity in our school, because we have so many different people and talents here.” Berg added that she hopes audiences can see the passion young musicians bring to the stage.
While original songs are not required, many bands choose to write their own music to showcase their unique identities. Writing originals can be a challenging process, Farley said, recalling “spending about four hours straight recording one song.”
Despite the frustration, his band plans to perform two original songs on Feb. 13. Berg also shared her nervousness about writing original music, but said her band continues to work hard to complete their songs.
Looking ahead, Battle of the Bands remains a favorite event for both performers and audiences. Many of the bands say the real prize is the connection, collaboration and the joy of performance. Farley said that despite the stress, struggle and who ends up winning, the experience is always worth it. “Many friends are made because of this, it gives a cheap way to watch live music and that is a lovely thing,” he said.
