Battle of the Bands II: Eclectic Boogaloo
Four music acts of all different genres and experience play on the same stage for a shot to play at The University of Minnesota’s Spring Jam
By: Abby Vela
At the heart of Minneapolis–St. Paul culture is the animated and well-established music scene. Acts spanning all genres and walks of life have found a home in the dimly lit venues across the metropolitan area. University of Minnesota’s venue in the basement of the Memorial Union, The Whole, is no exception. While the U’s historic stage has been graced by many big-name music groups like The Replacements, Dead Kennedys, and Green Day, it’s also home to one of the most highly anticipated concert series on campus: Battle of the Bands.
Every Friday in February, you can catch one of the four preliminary shows, hosting four different music acts each week. Completely decided by audience vote, these gigs determine which artist from each night will move on to Battle of the Bands Finals at the University-hosted Spring Jam music festival. I attended the second show of preliminaries, a show that was filled to the brim with new and exciting artists. Open to any student at the U, Battle of the Bands brings a range of artists— from seasoned veterans to those having their first performance—onto the same stage for the night.
“My main sort of music is House and EDM,” said Bryan Casas, first-time performer and new student at the U. Casas started off the evening with a bang, lighting up the venue with dance-electronic life. Having just started producing music last year, he concluded, “at the end of the day… I’m just gonna go up there and have fun. Show people a good time.” Although not many in the crowd had heard his music before, that didn’t stop anybody from doing exactly what Casas had hoped.
The Redeemed are another new group on campus; the three-piece set shouldered a guitar, keyboard, and vocals for a setlist of faith-based Christian acoustic originals. “We’re a worship group, we just want to make the name of Jesus famous,” the group said when asked about their reason for participating in Battle of the Bands. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed their set, both taking out their phone flashes and slow-dancing to the light soprano melodies. “It’s all for fun and to spread the Word.”
Another new band-on-the-block to perform was Bird Bass; “not like the fish, though,” the band’s frontman, Sean, joked while on stage. The four-piece set kept the fast pace going, playing unreleased originals with pop-punk vivacity and unexpected yet absolutely fantastic keyboard riffs. One of my favorite moments of the night was solidified as the frontman turned out to the gathering crowd and exclaimed, “this is so cool,” as the biggest grin spread across his face. The crowd called back with cheering and applause before their last few songs. Very cool, indeed.
The veteran band of the night, Kids Ski Free, proved to be a crowd favorite. The audience crowded the front of the stage once more, waiting and ready to go. “Ready for what?” one may ask. The indie-rock band intentionally chose some of their most upbeat songs as well as a cover or two with “the goal” of starting a mosh pit, and a mosh pit did they start. The crowd went wild, arranging themselves into a circle and immediately diving in, bodies and elbows working in chaotic unison. For the full half-hour set, the pit did not cease. In the single moment of restitution, everyone stopped to lift a fellow show-goer into the air to crowd surf, something that I didn’t think was possible in a venue divided by large columns. Having played together since high school, Kids Ski Free is looking to not only jam at Battle of the Bands but also get ready for the release of a new EP to come out in the coming weeks.
Much like The Cities themselves, Battle of the Bands provides a space for groups, new and old, to find their foothold in the local music scene. It is truly a pleasure to be a part of this contest, both as an audience member and as a performer. Take time in the coming months to go see some local performances; I assure you that you won’t regret it.