PREVIEW: Battle of the Bands 2017

With Winter Formal rapidly approaching, it also brings forth one of the most special events at Westside; Battle of the Bands. Eight bands are performing this year, which means that a lot of students from Westside will be playing to win. Here is a short preview of all of the bands:

Jacob Shaw-Sutherland

Members:

Jacob Shaw-Sutherland

For Jacob’s band, what makes it unique is, well, it’s not really a band. It’s just Jacob, a guitar, and a microphone. As for the type of music, Jacob says that it should be “something different.”

“I play Fingerstyle Guitar, but I’ve also heard it referred to as Contemporary Acoustic, Fingerpicking, or Travis Picking”

You can look forward to Jacob playing For Now by Andy Mckee on Saturday.

622

Members:

Maddy Stark 

Tommy Simon

Alexander Bayles

Ava Bowman

Nathan Wolf

Christian Madsen

Chad Fey

Jacob Wiggy

Ashley Tyler

Grace Calderon

Jackson Hanus

622 is unique because it’s the largest band that will be playing. Each musician will be using a different instrument, and they will be playing Valerie by Amy Winehouse. Although it may be a famous song, Maddy Stark is positive that it will be distinct from the actual song.

“We are playing a piece that is well known but doing our own rendition of it, so I think that’ll be fun and interesting for the audience!”

As for the band name, Stark says that it originated from an old Westside band called 311, and they just decided to double it to make 622.

King Chameleon

Members:

Casey Plucinski

Roman Constantino

Brenden Plucinski

Henry Tomsu

King Chameleon sets themselves apart because they are the only band doing an original song. The song, called Up When You’re Down, was written by all of the members of the group. As for their style, they play acid jazz, psychedelic, and post funk. Finally, although their name may sound random, Brenden Plucinski assures that there was a method behind the madness.

“The meaning of the band name is a combination of some of the bands that have inspired us.”

Liv and Trev

Members:

Olivia Robino

Trevor Mumford

This band is special because Trevor Mumford is a self taught ukulelist. For BOTB, they will be performing a very popular song, I’m Yours by Jason Mraz. As for the genre, Olivia Robino says that they can play almost anything.

“We do covers of different songs in varying genres.”

Deez Notes

Members:

Soren Johnson

Avery Wetzel

Christian Madsen

Grace Calderon

Tyler Douglass

Jacob Wigodsky

Haley Gagne

James Henry

Deez Notes is another one of the larger bands performing Saturday night. Along with the varying musicians, the band is also unique because they are the only brass band. This means there are are only trumpets, trombones, percussion, and other brass instruments. They will be preforming Brooklyn by Youngblood Brass Band. Similar to the song, they say that the genre of their music is New Orleans style Jazz. For their band name, Christian Madsen says that it started off as a joke, but then it kind of grew on them. They liked the fact that it connected music and pop culture, not to mention that they enjoyed the eye rolls. However, besides the name, Madsen says that there is a secret weapon inside of the band.

“We have 2 gingers in the group which automatically increases our quality over our opponents.”

Colored Glass

Members:

Mykiah Nelson

Tavyer Glass

This band is different because Tavyer can play 27 different instruments. Saturday night, however, he will only be playing the drums. Mykiah will play the violin with his friend. Although it is a different combination of instruments, Colored Glass will be playing classical rock. As for the name, Mykiah says that they didn’t like it at first, but it kind of grew on them.
“Colored because we are both black and glass because it’s his last name. I didn’t like it at first, but I appreciate the heritage of the term ‘colored’”

The other two bands who are participating did not get back to us, but the bands are GRL PWR with Emily Hammans and Zoe Debolt and Desperate Measures with Hannah Robinson and Matthew Fischer.

Photos by Kendall Brekke