Last Thursday night marked the sixth-annual Battle of the Bands, a charity event hosted by the brothers of Sigma Nu. The night’s purpose was to raise money to support St. Jude’s Research Hospital, an organization that specializes in treating cancer in young children and teens.
During the preceding week, Sigma Nu, at Wilson Commons, collected student donations in the name of one or more of the participating bands: No Jackets Required, Birds and the Bee Movie, Root Seven, Candy Isle, and Hip Conspiracy. By the end of the night, more than $700 had been raised, all of which was donated directly to the cause.
Those who came and donated were treated to a night of wonderfully fun music that spanned across multiple genres. No Jackets Required started the night off strongly with some beautiful renditions of classic rock songs, which set the mood of joy and excitement that lasted the rest of the night.
The Birds and the Bee Movie came second, armed with only a drum set and a keyboard. They impressed the crowd with an almost-15-minute completely improvised remix of some of the world’s most treasured songs, ranging from Beethoven all the way to some insurance company jingles.
Root Seven came in next to make their mark. The six-member crew easily overcame the confusion behind their mismatched name and crewmember number with various brass solos and smooth tones surprised the crowd with yet another stellar performance.
Candy Isle also had the element of surprise on their side. The guitar-wielding duo serenaded the crowd with soft voices and strums that made me forget all about the past and coming weeks’ stresses. Candy Isle managed to produce that warm, tingly feeling that often as students we (or at least I) lack – and for that, all were appreciative.
Bringing up the rear was Hip Conspiracy, who served to take care of any unfinished business their comrades might have left over for them. Rather than sticking to one genre, they mixed up several, which effectively created a call-back effect to the other performances. It was an excellent way to end the night. Their combination of voice, bass, drums, and brass created an altogether wholesome experience that left me feeling satisfied, and counting down the days until the next bash.
At the end, the judges crowned Hip Conspiracy the victor. Humbly claiming their spoils, a gift card provided by Sigma Nu, Hip Conspiracy left a hero. But when it comes to the production of a delightful event, the credit was shared between all competing.
