Music is an art, it can be a form of expression, it can be a way of communication, yet it can also be a competition. This year, Harlem hosted its second annual Battle of the Bands competition, putting musically talented students on display in a new light.
In the competition, three bands took the stage, including Red is Scary, Whirlwind, and No Values. As the competition unfolded, so did the rules of the competition; each band had to have at least one member who attends Harlem High School, they would have to play a thirty minute set, and a panel of local musicians would score them and vote on the winner.
“The battle of the bands was the first time a lot of the people there performed and that’s a really important experience. It’s best to have your first performance in an environment like this one. Getting feedback from the judges is very useful,” said Cayli Hanson (12), the lead guitarist for No Values.
The event is not just an opportunity for student musicians to perform and compete, it also allows for them to have a chance to perform in a different environment than normal.
“The battle of the bands gives bands a chance to play for a larger audience which is a lot harder to gain playing gigs and shows outside of school,” says Hanson.
Given the larger scale of the Battle of the Bands, the show must always go on, even despite the roadblocks that occur along the way. There were unforeseen obstacles that some of the bands had to overcome, but nonetheless, they all worked together to succeed.
“We got our newest drummer 2 weeks before we played,” said Hanson, “another band also lost a few of their members too but everyone performed very well despite the loss of practice time.”
The bands performing were not solely formed out of Harlem students though, but from a broader community being brought together by a unified passion. For Sierra Van Laeke (11), the lead singer of “Whirlwind,” her band formed outside of Harlem, alone.
“I asked some of my friends from the Rock and Roll Institute if they wanted to be in a band and they said yes,” said Van Laeke, “it was just amazing. I’ve never been so thrilled with being in a band as much as them before.”
As the bands concluded their sets, the judges discussed their thoughts and analysis, and proceeded to send in the results. The newly-formed band, Whirlwind, was called up to the stage, as they were announced as the winners of this year’s competition.
“I was so proud and happy because we worked so hard and it took a very long time to do. But overall I am so happy and excited to see where our band will be next,” said Van Laeke.
In the end, Harlem’s Battle of the Bands brings together musically gifted students, who might not have met otherwise. It allows them to perform competitively, so that they can enhance their skills and become better performers. The event did not just allow for these students to perform, it gave them a chance to make memories that can last a lifetime.
