APU’s 2014 Battle of the Bands competition ended with a bang, as fireworks erupted over Trinity Lawn after the winning band Oliver Riot’s last performance.
The group ended the competition with a high-energy set of three songs, including a cover of Vanilla Ice’s 1989 classic, “Ice, Ice Baby.”
“Every time you guys perform … it’s an event that people will want to go see and will be talking about the next day,” noted one judge, Cory Witt, a freelance guitarist in the L.A. area, in his critique of the band’s performance.
Gray Fox performs at APU's 2014 Battle of the Bands Photo credit: Jasmine Rodgers
The victor, Oliver Riot, will perform at the spring 2015 Communiversity concert.
The competition featured six APU bands that competed for the top prize. With many different musical and performance styles, each group performed a set of 2-3 songs for the judges.
A few feet away from the stage sat this year’s three judges: Natalie Nicoles and James Brooks both APU alum and former worship leaders and Cory Witt, who sat on a couch in the middle of Trinity Lawn. All of them are musicians, Natalie of the band Branches; James, lead singer of the band Talange; and Cory, a self-described guitar player.
Before the event began, one of the emcees, Performing Arts Intern, sophomore communication studies major Reese Hopper, opened with a prayer. Afterward, the judges introduced themselves.
Throughout the night, bands Gray Fox, Put Down the Yardstick, Lafayette, Ceramiks, DKA and Oliver Riot showcased their music to the judges and audience.
The crowd consisted of APU students and representatives from the clothing company Barnabas, KAPU radio, the Office of Communiversity, the on-campus hip-hop dance group VFO and students and faculty who just wanted to enjoy some music and support their peers.
Show opener Gray Fox performed a song that the lead singer described as being inspired by flirting without serious intentions, featuring the chorus: “I’ll always be stuck as your friend.”
The next band, Put Down the Yardstick, dedicated their first song to “all the people suffering in Ferguson, MO.” Its first performance opened with a strong, loud bass lick that continued throughout the song.
The performance by Lafayette and Ceramiks featured two completely different styles of music. Lafayette music was in a pop/rock genre, while Ceramiks favored a more electronic, ambient sound. Ceramiks performed one song that was completely instrumental, with the melody of the synthesizer repeating throughout.
Lafayette gets the judge's critiques at APU's 2014 Battle of the Bands performance. Photo credit: Jasmine Rodgers
The band DKA won the text-in fan vote, which earned it a pack of Rockstar energy drinks. The semi-punk rock group played loud and fast to the electrified crowd and even inspired a small mosh pit to form in front of the stage.
Small competitions were interspersed between performances and included lip-sync battles, humming song melodies, music trivia and dance-offs. Prizes included gift cards, Barnabas T-shirts and baseball hats.
The annual battle is a part of the Office of Communiversity’s larger celebration of homecoming weekend, as the office also hosted this year’s homecoming dance, Glowcoming.
In an email interview, Melissa Stava, associate director for the Office of Communiversity, explained that BOTB has been going on at APU for 15 years plus.
The event was created by the Office of Communiversity, which handles all aspects of the competition, including band selection, marketing and finding a venue.
Compared with other events hosted by the office, Battle of the Bands is not just another talent competition.
“It is a competition with prizes for the winning band vs. just a night to share talent. Also, it is one of our larger events as well as being a part of the larger piece that is homecoming week,” wrote Stava.
With a longtime tradition at APU, hearing different bands is what draws many students to the competition. Even newcomers, like senior and first-time emcee and Campus Life Intern communication studies major Tayler Lund were excited to hear the music.
“It’s fun experiencing new bands. I didn’t know APU had so many talented musicians,” said Lund.
Despite a medium-sized crowd, the 2014 BOTB allowed students to share their music in a familiar setting and to an excited audience.