Battle of the Bands: heat 1

Through the blistering cold the musicians of Battle of the Bands, heat one, managed to warm up even Goodricke Dining Hall with an exciting start to this year's competition.

First up, Falling Leaflets! Step Away? had the difficult job of starting off the night's entertainment. Using drum machine and electronics together with live guitars and bass they created an interesting dance ambience.

Next up first year music students Ah Good The Sea pleased the crowd with their indie vibe and polished performance, winning a rightful place in the semi-finals.

Tin Pan Valley, also through to the semi-finals, impressed the crowd with their original songs and well-received cover of Daft Punk's 'Around the World'. A collaboration between Dave Pearce and Alastair Dickie, Tin Pan Valley got into the groove alternating between Mark Perkins on lead vocals, blasting out the tunes, and delicate three part harmony between the three front men. With drum kit played by Dave Smyth this ensemble proved a hit with the crowd.

Heralded a "proper band, you know - with no guitars", Superstar Allstars filled the stage with saxophone, trumpet, trombone, double bass, keyboard, kit and two vocalists. With some funky rhythms and wide ranging musical references, Superstar Allstars fought through technical difficulties to deliver an energetic set.

This evening saw the ingenious use of both a Nintendo DS (Falling Leaflets! Step Away) and a Guitar Hero guitar (Turnip Fury) as instruments. With the merging of music games consoles and live performance (a reference, perhaps, to experimental BotB competitors Knick-Knack who ended up taking the competition by storm a few years back...) this evening proved a surprising one.

The vivacious Aaron Carey, singing in both Superstar Allstars and Turnip Fury, said: "All the bands tonight were excellent and I really enjoyed the atmosphere." Turnip Fury's social commentary on subjects as wide ranging as Robert Kilroy-Silk and microwave meals proved a wry end to a fun-filled evening.

The fun continues tonight with the following line-up for heat 2:

Jonny P and the Howlie T Experience | Waking Hours | Frankenstaines | Delta! | Little Jimmy's Flaming Funk Orchestra

For more information and a complete line up for the week visit URY’s BotB site. Tickets for BotB are available at the YUSU online shop and OTD.

Coverage of the events will be provided by formidable campus media trio URY, YSTV and The Yorker.

Don’t forget to visit us right here at The Yorker for news, reviews, podcasts, information on the next day’s line up and to join in the BotB banter.

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