_{By Andy McFerren}

Night 4 of Velour’s Winter 2023 Battle of the Bands had no shortage of hard hitting rock music, great bass players, and exciting new music. Backspun, MAHD, No Such Animal, and Prince Duck all gave it their best shot last night, and it was a great show.

Backspun

Backspun started off the night. They had a bit of a rough start. I think the pre-show jitters bled into the first couple songs (it’s always hard to kick off a show to a cold crowd, and it’s even harder in a competition of this nature), but after that, they were a completely different band. 

If I could so eloquently describe the band, as I do with so many others, I’d describe them as making “Last Resort” by Papa Roach fit into the style of music found on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. 

If there is one thing Backspun does not have a problem with, it’s energy and charisma. They approach every song with a confidence that could rival Matthew McConaughey. If I had their confidence, I would rule the world. 

MAHD

MAHD took the stage next, and I knew we were in for a good night. They started their set with a song that sounded a bit like the band Steel Train, an early project of Jack Antonoff that predates fun. and Bleachers, but they launched into a whole different universe after that. They started rocking. Like holy bass riffs, Batman.

You know how Hozier says, “And so I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit every day with someone new,” on his song “Someone New”? Well, that’s how I feel with a new bass player every night I cover Battle of the Bands. And tonight, I fell in love with MAHD’s bass playing. 

I think if there was one downside to MAHD’s set, it’s that they seemed like they were more interested in just rocking out and jamming than playing in a competition. This competition requires a little bit extra to win over judges and people who have never heard you before. It was a lot of fun though, and I enjoyed it. Just good ol’ fashioned rock ’n’ roll. 

No Such Animal 

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. Lead singer Finn Morrison of No Such Animal could be a great cult leader. His control over a crowd is unlike any other I’ve seen in recent Velour history. Finn has become a premier frontman in the scene. He is a star whether he wants to be or not.

The whole band complements his energy and doesn’t distract from the performance. No Such Animal is a perfect example of refraining from doing too much during their songs and knowing when to pull it back to highlight a certain aspect of the song, and when to crank to eleven. 

It’s always fun to see a band’s progression through the years. I saw No Such Animal during last year’s Battle of the Bands finals, and this year, they’ve improved so much. They’re tighter than they’ve ever been. The riffs are harder, the vocals stronger, the set tighter. There was an aspect of chaos before in their sets, and they have reined that in and tamed it to do their bidding.  

If I have one note to Finn, it’s that his moves on stage need a little work when his hands aren’t on his guitar. It’s like the spirit of Ricky Bobby takes over, and he doesn’t know what to do with his hands when they are off his guitar. 

Despite this, the band has separated themselves from their Green Day pop punk comparisons and have become something entirely their own. It’s closer to Wolfmother or The Struts, but it’s still their sound. And it shows in their performance. The authenticity comes through as opposed to imitating a sound or a band you like. 

Prince Duck

I thought No Such Animal had it in the bag, but then Prince Duck took the stage. They came out swinging for the fences on their first song “Smoke God pt. 1.” Drummer Nixon Barber hits his drums like they owe him money. 

Full disclosure: I love Prince Duck. I had the opportunity to interview them for their album A Comfort To You earlier this year for Provo Music Magazine and Music Outlet Mall, and they completely won me over.

Prince Duck is a fascinating band that plays music like if They Might Be Giants were more hardcore, but not in such a way that it dips into Tenacious D territory. At times, it’s full-on rock opera, and other times, it’s rock opera adjacent. It’s like watching a D&D campaign but in the form of a rock concert. So, is Prince Duck for everyone? No, but they should be. You are depriving yourself of so much joy by not checking them out. 

They’re eccentric in the best of ways. They have such a niche sound, and they own it. They captivated the judges. One judge, whose identity will remain anonymous, said, “They’re the only band I’d come back for.” 

The band is led by lead singer Micah Clemence, and he left it all on the field tonight. After each song he was completely out of breath after dancing and belting the entire time. 

It was a close call between two bands of the night. As always, it wasn’t identified who the other band was that came in second, but if I had a guess, it was Prince Duck. It came down to the crowd vote, and No Such Animal came away with the win and are moving onto the finals Saturday. 

Velour’s Winter 2023 Battle of the Bands returns tonight at 7:30 PM. Henniker, The Samuel Charles Band, Lovingly Clad, and Wild Flour will perform. Tickets are $10 at the door. While you’re waiting for the show to start, check out “New American Cyborg” by No Such Animal.