Dressed in outfits representing their grade level’s theme, students gathered in the gymnasium on Music Genre Day (March 14), the fourth day of Spirit Week. During lunch, they sang along to music and watched Battle of the Bands: a competition that requires each grade to perform songs from their respective musical themes. The freshmen’s theme was country, the sophomores’ was techno, the juniors’ was beach bops, and the seniors’ was Y2K (the early 2000s). In an attempt to win first place, the bands created their own setlists and practiced after school and during lunch in the days leading up to the event. 

Theatre senior Blake McCall

Q: What was your position in Battle of the Bands?

A: I played guitar and I sang a couple songs. 

Q: What made you want to join?

A: (Digital media senior) Coral (Johnston) asked, so I was like ‘I did it last year,’ and I think I needed, we (Johnston, strings senior Pablo Weir Beriro, and theatre senior Liam Demary) all needed a moment of redemption. 

Q: What was your process in selecting songs?

A: Y2K is a big era of music, so there was so much we could have done. We just chose some of our favorite songs and some of the most iconic songs from that era.

Q: How do you feel about performing in front of your classmates?

A: It’s terrifying because I want the respect of these people, and I want them to like it, but also once you get up there and you start, they’re all into it, so it’s fun. It’s exciting to share your art with your classmates.

Band junior Charles DeBay

Q: What was your position in Battle of the Bands?

A: I played bass guitar.

Q: What made you want to join?

A: I did it last year, (and) I’m very good friends with a lot of people in the band. They asked me to do it again, (so) I couldn’t say no.

Q: What was your process in selecting songs?

A: We (vocal junior Luke Saraceni, band junior David Aloni, theatre junior Zac Ashberg, piano junior Noah Kriegstein, and theatre junior Mason McGahey) brainstormed ideas that fit the theme and then went from there. 

Q: How do you feel about performing in front of your classmates?

A: I love it. It’s very fun. Everybody’s always super supportive. People will always make you feel better about yourself.

Communications sophomore Ben Seelig

Q: What was your position in Battle of the Bands?

A: I was the synthesizer (one who plays a musical instrument that creates sound electronically).

Q: What made you want to join?

A: Well, I was actually asked by (vocal sophomore) Levi Cowen. He was the leader. 

Q: What was your process in selecting songs?

A:  At first, we had a couple of songs. We even had “…Baby One More Time”  in our setlist. However, there (were) some complications. There was a point where we were supposed to only do techno pop (songs, so) we changed our setlist, (but then) we had to (switch) back to what we have now.

Q: How do you feel about performing in front of your classmates?

A: I was pretty nervous. When people started coming in, I realized just how many people are gonna see us and our performance.

Theatre freshman Juliana Priddy

Q: What was your position in Battle of the Bands?

A: I was the lead vocalist. 

Q: What made you want to join Battle of the Bands?  

A: The Student Government (Association) asked us because me and one of the guitarists, (visual freshman) Christina (O’Grady), have a band outside of school. 

Q: What was your process in selecting songs?

A: I wanted to do the most favorable country songs (and) most well-known (for the) beginning song (Somethin’ Bad by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood). It was just a great song to start off with to get the audience excited.

Q: How do you feel about performing in front of your classmates?

A: It was definitely scary since this was our first Battle of the Bands, but my goal was to just show off the freshmen, have fun, and be happy.