By Zach Collier
When I showed up to Velour for the Summer 2023 Battle of the Bands Finals, I was out of my mind excited by the lineup and also a little distraught. Every single one of these acts are consummate professionals, executing their craft well across wildly different genres. Blues, folk, soul, retro rock. I had no idea how to even judge these guys against each other. But I did my best.
Chi Chi le Möt
Chi Chi le Möt kicked off the night like a dog unchained. Furious guitar solos, explosive drums, and driving bass shot through the room and rocked everyone to their core. A blues-rock trio, these guys are LOCKED IN musically. They feed off each others’ energy and they’re careful not to overindulge. They’re all such good musicians that it would be so easy to go overboard, but they don’t. They hold back, ensuring that everything they do stays centered on Dallin Major’s immaculate vocal delivery and expert songwriting.
Speaking of Dallin Major, this dude is a once-in-a-generation kind of talent. I’ve never seen a guitarist of his caliber execute so consistently and flawlessly. He’s also one of the greatest pop/rock vocalists I’ve ever heard. To have both embodied in the same corporeal form is simply unfair.
The Mellons
Are you sad? Is something going wrong in your life? Have you or someone you love recently experienced misfortune? Go see The Mellons live. It will cure everything.
Their shows have it all: Balloons. Giant floating head cutouts. Matching outfits. Merch giveaways. Intricate drum solos. Mellotron. Trumpet. Delightful harmonies. Delectable songwriting. And the sunniest vibes this side of the Sierras.
To level criticism at The Mellons would be like criticizing Santa Claus, birthday cakes, or humanitarian aid. You just shouldn’t. They’re one of my favorite bands ever.
It was during their set that I wanted to hand my clipboard and judging rubric back to Corey Fox and say, “It’s been a good run. But you’ve put me in an impossible situation, sir. Choosing any winner at the expense of anyone in this lineup is a damnable offense, and I’m worried about my eternal salvation.”
TLDR: The Mellons’ set was great.
The Plastic Cherries
The Plastic Cherries are mesmerizing. From the washed out, delayed vocals to the crunchy guitar, these guys will strap you to a Flux Capacitor and take you to the ‘70s, back to the future, and to a time beyond – where rock has had a meaningful pop resurgence and everything feels new again.
These guys know how to employ noise to great effect, piling effect after effect onto their instruments and taking the music to the brink only to pull it right back and cut all the effets out. They’re the kind of musicians who understand their audience. They guide them on a journey, taking them to uncomfortable sonic spaces without losing them in the chaos.
As impressive as their vocalist and guitarist are (they’ve stolen the show both nights I’ve seen them), I think what makes this band great is a solid drummer, a passionate bassist, and a talented, no-nonsense pianist who hold things down with a solid block of familiar, straightforward tones. It adds a rootsy backbone to their music that’s undeniably rad and gives their guitarist and vocalist a canvas to paint on.
Local Kin
These guys had the fortunate advantage of being the softest act of the night, which immediately set them apart. They followed The Plastic Cherries’ galactic set with their earthy, down-home folk, eliciting spontaneous yips and cheers the second they started harmonizing. Their opener was so powerful that the atmosphere in the whole venue shifted.
I used this word in my prior recap and I’ll use it again. If I could choose one adjective to describe Local Kin, it would be jubilant. Their music definitely touches other emotions, but the prevailing sentiment of their music is a hopeful one. When they sing, it’s like sitting at the feet of a wise sage who’s been through the wringer and made it through okay. They survived, so you know you’re going to be okay, too.
I had yet another moment during their set where I was tempted to rage quit. I did very little judging tonight and a whole lot of listening and enjoying. It was stellar.
Jumpmonk
H*ck my life. Just when I thought judging couldn’t get any more difficult, Jumpmonk took the stage with a performance leagues above the already killer set they played earlier this week. Everything was dialed up to 11. The bass grooved harder, the keyboards got jazzier, the guitar shredded faster, the drummer’s fills were tighter, and Madison Schefer’s lead vocals were SPOT ON.
These guys know how to write engaging grooves. Writing like this and playing them tight is every bit as difficult as Chi Chi’s shredding, Local Kin’s harmonizing, and the Mellons’ and Plastic Cherries’ vibesmithing. To come out and play music so intricate so well after sitting and stewing on nerves back stage for 4 hours is wildly impressive.
If you’re a fan of Snarky Puppy, Vulfpeck, Scary Pockets, etc. you need to get into Jumpmonk ASAP.
Result
After scores were turned in, I talked to various judges to get their thoughts. Each judge had a completely different ranking, with every imaginable configuration of first through fifth place. There was no clear consensus, no clear frontrunner. I waited anxiously for the winner to be announced. John Schultz took the stage, the crowd hushed, and…
Local Kin was crowned the winner of the week.
What a killer night. Hands down one of the closest, most competitive, downright talented weeks I’ve ever covered. Every band should be proud of how they played this week. The scene is healthy and vibrant, and the future is bright.
Make sure to follow Local Kin on Instagram and check out their song “The Bird” below!