Park View High School will host its 4th annual Battle of the Band BBQ at 5 p.m., Friday, June 8, with bands from across the area performing and Rude Buddha as the featured artist. Tickets are $5. Call 704-444-7500. Here’s some info on the combatants:
<ro>Better Days Trio
<lst>Better Days Trio is a classic case of a band created for a venue. Taylor Berrett, who had been recording and performing on his own for quite some time, and Michael O'Donnell, whom Berrett had never worked with, saw posters for the battle and decided to try to put together a project with which to perform. They enlisted drummer and keyboardist Matt Harrison, a good friend whom Berrett has performed and recorded with on several occasions in the past. They decided upon the name "Better Days Trio," and kept the "Trio" suffix even after adding bassist Robbie Daitzman to the group, either out of humor or laziness or both. But undoubtedly the "Trio's" most defining characteristic is its choice of musical genre: the blues. It was established from the start that the band would trade thrashing distortion and harsh vocals for soulful melodies and clean electric guitar rhythms.
<ro>Cardboard Boxes
<lst>Cardboard Boxes is Heather Ellis on vocals and keyboard, Lauren Maxwell on guitar and keyboard and Scott Everhart on drums. They were formed sometime in early May when Maxwell asked Ellis if she wanted to start a band. They recently added their drummer, Scott, in. Cardboard Box’s music is acoustic/pop with some mellowness and happiness added in. Their biggest influences are indie bands like The Format and Copeland, and any other musician or song that we have ever had the pleasure of hearing.
<ro>The Greenthorn Killings
<lst>On Dec. 5, 2005, Stephen Harrison, Kyle Walker and Scott Dean got together to play some music. After jamming all day, they decided to form the band, which became known as The Greenthorn Killings. The guys decided to get together because it was their goal to enter in the 2006 Park View Battle of the Bands; this will be their second time participating. The band plays a unique style of indie rock. Their influences come from everywhere: Primus, The Ramones, Red Hot Chili Peppers and most importantly a former local band, I'd Rather Die. The band's current lineup is Michael Vereb on vocals, Stephen Harrison on vocals and guitar, Kyle Walker on guitar, Scott Dean on bass, and Chris Hoerauf on drums.
<ro>Rise of Icarus
<lst>In August of 2006, Rise of Icarus was created by a few members of The Greenthorn Killings. The three, Stephen Harrison, Scott Dean, and Chris Hoerauf wanted to play a style of music that had a sense of edge to it. Rise of Icarus is a hardcore metal band. The hardcore scene is very prominent in Northern Virginia so it was common for Rise of Icarus to play concerts at the Sterling Community Center or even sometimes at Jaxx Nightclub. Some of the bands influences include: Mercutio In Arms, Reflux, Suicide Silence, This Time It's War and Once Nothing. Rise of Icarus is: Stephen Harrison on guitar, Scott Dean on bass, Chris Hoerauf on drums, Tyler Blackburn on vocals, Cory Harshman on vocals, and Ian Khalil on guitar.
<ro>Orange Marmalade
<lst>Brett and Steven, bassist, would always jam a lot, so when they heard the Battle of the Bands was coming along, they figured they would do it. Matthew had started drumming about two months before and could definitely fit the playing style. They play jazz/funk, and some rock. They put strong emphasis on each instrument, to make one just as important as another. Their influences include a good bit of classic rock, but also anything jazz like. They also find influence in more recent bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
<ro>Cave Quest
<lst>Two Potomac Falls members who describe the band as electronic dance.
<ro>The Misspoken
<lst>Two Dominion High School members and two members from Reston who describe the band as punk/hardcore.
<ro>Tao of Funk
<lst>Band member Dylan Malyszka was born in Syracuse and was shortly after baptized in the Nile by Les Claypool and Bootsy Collins. Later in life, Claypool came to Georgia where they had a duel in which Malyszka prevailed. Malyszka has been playing the bass on and off since he was in fifth grade and about a year ago he got really serious.
Band Member Raul Ayala was born in Honduras and some say he's a descendant of Zeus and others claim he's the offspring of a volcano. In reality though, Ayala never played any musical instrument, but last year he started with a violin, and now he spends from three to five hours working out the kinks. Ayala also plays the guitar.
Ayala and Malyszka have spent six years as hetero-soul mates and decided it would be nice to play some good funk for the masses.
<ro>October or Nothing
<lst>Four Park View members who describe the band as a rock band.
<ro>The Pulse
<lst>The band, The Pulse, started when the members were in a music class at Park View and they heard each other play, and just decided to get together for a jam session "just with a few guys that liked to play their own stuff" Josh Young said. After the first jam though, they all thought of one thing "could it be more than just a jam?" The answer was, yes. The band has a very unique style of playing; alternative rock, to indie, to R&B. The band recently started to venture out of Ryan Thursby's attic, and into Park View High School.
They have played only a couple of songs since Park View's talent show and Fine Arts night, but Mario Vines says "People will be a little surprised by what we have in store, we've been working on some new material that I think sounds different from anything else I've heard before, it will be a good show and I can't wait to hear what the other bands have In store as well."
<ro>Crisis
<lst>Four Park View members who describe the band as alternative.
<ro>Victim of a Keel Hauling
<lst>Three Park View members and one Potomac Falls member who describe the band as metal/hardcore.