Photo by Marcus Collins, Staff Photographer
By Zuzana Fudala, Staff A & E Writer
Friday, April 19 saw the return of an event that has not been held since before COVID upended life as we know it. Tritones hosted Moraine’s Battle of the Bands, something that this writer has looked forward to since I started to attend Moraine Valley. There have been plenty of events on campus that I’ve attended and enjoyed but, the BotB has got to be one of my favorites. In the past there have been some amazing artists that have performed, and this year fit the bill yet again. Before we get to our winners, how about some history on the Battle of the Bands?
BotB History
The first Moraine Valley Battle of the Bands was hosted in 2010 and has been attempted every Spring semester, the most recent being held in 2019. The BotBs are hosted by the Tritones, who are a performance based club that provide music to various events, and that support each other musically, according to club advisor Tammi Carlson. While the Tritones are the ones that host the BotB, they have some help from media services with the surround sound, Student Life, and Marketing for advertisement. Proceeds totaling $285 from ticket and snack sales were donated to Project Care, the MVCC Food Pantry located on the main campus in Palos Hills; how awesome is that?!
The Winners
In first place was Too Tall to Ride (3TR/TTTR), a trio consisting of members Eli, David, and James. Originally, these three joined for fun without expecting to win, which was astounding because they rocked (seriously). I loved their vibe and their sound; a little bit of rock, some grunge, maybe alternative? Basically an all around eclectic sound, it seems like whatever these guys liked they decided to throw in. James and David have known each other the longest and are involved with the Tritones. Eli and James met at Ashburys coffee house. After some chit-chat, they ended up spitballing band names and ended up on Too Tall to Ride, on the account that they both are pretty tall. Eventually one thing led to another and here they are!
Congrats on winning first place; you were absolutely amazing and I look forward to seeing more from your group. David absolutely shredded on the guitar; He seriously needs to give himself more credit. He was awesome!
Check out their instagram page @too_tall_to_ride_official for any updates.
In second place we have Morbidity, a death metal band consisting of members: Jake, Esteban “Stebs”, Jack, and Hector. I’m not partial to metal, but I’d listen to these guys; they were awesome! All the people that ended up moshing can attest to that. Knowing each other from the metal music scene as well as other bands and mutual friends, these guys are pretty tight-knit and consider themselves to be basically brothers, and after interviewing them I definitely agree. Why metal specifically? Well according to these guys, it’s heavy, it’s dark, and you can be very creative with it. You can be free but it’s still musical. If you like metal, definitely check these guys out. If you’re interested in getting into metal, then maybe Morbidity can be your gateway into the scene. Don’t be nervous about getting into the scene either, according to these guys. A lot of people get the wrong idea about metal, but the scene is very communal, unless you’re a poser; no one likes a poser.
Congrats on winning second place guys! Y’all did amazing!
Morbidity will be releasing an EP (extended release) soon. Be sure to check out their instagram page @morbidityofficial for any info and shows if you’re interested.
In third place we have Pure Ambition, a trio consisting of Gavin “fresh-man”, Mo, and Szyman with big ambitions and a desire to make music, specifically rock and classic rock. I’m a big fan of rock, always have been, and I like their vibe. Keep practicing and keep making music you guys, I know y’all have had experience with other instruments like baritone, trombone, tuba, so why not incorporate those instruments into your music? Lots of rock bands and artists used brass instruments like the Saxophone and other instruments: Bruce Springsteen, Electric Light Orchestra, to name a few. I wish y’all luck in your future endeavors and look forward to hearing what else y’all come up with.
Congrats on winning third place!
Pure Ambition doesn’t have an official account page yet but y’all can check out the Youtube page “Fresh-man” for a way to check out any songs they might have; more songs to come.
Once again, congrats to all the winners and good luck in your future endeavors! If any of y’all reading are interested in performing in the next Battle of the Bands, be sure to be on the lookout for any posters advertising the next one. In order to participate in the BotBs, there has to be at least one member that is a Moraine Valley student. Performers don’t necessarily have to be in a band and can perform solo, however the odds will be more in your favor if you are a group or ensemble as opposed to a single performer. Performers will need to fill out a form and provide either a CD or online link with their submission. Due to time constraints only 6 bands will be able to perform, and three bands will be the only ones to win cash prizes ranging from $100-250!
See y’all next Battle of the Bands! So tune those instruments and get to practicing!
All photos by Marcus Collins, Staff Photographer