By Michael Luce

Battle of the Bands week continues at The Boardwalk, and with it come four more bands ready to prove themselves. Before I get into the recap, I want to say right off the bat that none of these bands should be ashamed of their performances tonight. This was one of the most fun preliminary BotB nights to watch, and every band brought a unique energy to their performance. If I could give all four prizes I would, but I think The Boardwalk might get mad at me for invalidating their competition…

Also, I want to just briefly acknowledge the wonderful people who make up The Boardwalk team. I didn’t realize until tonight just how young most of the crew is, and it’s the passion and energy of these awesome individuals that are helping take the scene to new heights. Kudos, and thank you all!

Church Ball

Man, I’m so mad these guys don’t have anything recorded yet because I would love to share their lush shoegaze sound with everyone. Church Ball started the night off with a hazy ethereal wash that suddenly cut out and just as suddenly blasted back in with the weight of the full band behind it. These guys weren’t always the cleanest or tightest band of the night, but they also weren’t trying to hide behind walls of noise and effects like some bands do. They proved they could play tight if they wanted with some killer breakdowns and really wowed with their triple-singer vocal style. The dudes had a faux-delay effect going at one point with each singer just out of phase with the others (a la Rob Scallon), and it made for the most interesting vocal texture of the night. Honestly, the whole set just seemed like a group of goofy guys loving what they’re doing.

Unfortunately, it took a bit for Church Ball’s vocal clarity to settle in across all three singers. I’m not sure if it was nerves, or just needing to warm up, but it wasn’t until about halfway through the set that they found their stride. I think the nerves contributed to the set’s flow too, because the band didn’t even announce their final song; they just finished playing and walked off the stage. For as good as the music was, it was a bummer the audience and judges were left confused whether the set was over because they otherwise rocked the place. There’s a lot you can chalk up to jitters, and I have to wonder if that played a part for Church Ball.

Twin Systems

Twin Systems, formerly known as Cellar Dwellers, also entered the competition swinging. The group put out an absolutely unbelievable amount of sound for a three-piece rock group. It’s hard not to compare them to Rush in that regard, and that’s just the beginning of the similarities. The lead singer and bassist is one of the best musical multitaskers I’ve seen in the local scene, and their whole set felt like an homage to both the classic rockers of the 70s and the hard rock of the 90s. (Also, I already told Alley of Health Care this, but Twin Systems and Health Care would kill on a lineup together.) The band had immense stage presence for being just a few guys, and they commanded the attention of everyone in attendance. Our staff tends to harp on groups playing sets vs truly giving performances, and Twin Systems demonstrated they know the difference. Showmanship for days. Plus, the music was tight and interesting; these dudes have mad synergy.

For a group as put together as these guys, it was a bit concerning that when the drummer’s stick broke, they had to pause the set to run all the way backstage and grab a replacement. They recovered well, and I totally get unexpected equipment failure, but that’s the kind of thing that’s really easy to prepare for. A band of this caliber not having an extra stick or two on stage *at BotB* just in case is really embarrassing. Like I said, it didn’t seem to otherwise affect their show, so hopefully this serves as a reminder to be prepared going forward.

Internet Lover Boys

I think Internet Lover Boys saw how much fun Twin Systems was having and took it as a challenge. These guys looked to be having a blast on stage. Lead singer Dallin Phillips delivered the hands-down best vocal performance of the night, and the band absolutely nailed their signature Provocore breakdowns. I’ve seen them live before, and while this wasn’t Internet Lover Boys’ cleanest performance ever, they absolutely nailed some elements, like the transition that forced each member to stay totally in time as they slowed waaaaaaaayyyyy down. The crowd ate up the performance too, and you could hear fans singing along to each song, even the new single that came out the same day as the show.

Speaking of which, the band decided to end their set with the new track, which was, frankly speaking, an odd choice. “Lincoln Avenue” is a solid song, and the group performed it well, but it’s slower than anything else they played last night. The slow tempo and gentle instrumentation left the set feeling unfinished, and I think a restructuring the setlist would have gone a long way toward boosting their performance.

Also, Internet Lover Boys was the only band tonight with any sort of merch available. Not sure why the other bands didn’t bring anything because I feel like Battle of the Bands is the prime time to bring stuff for new fans. Missed opportunity for sure.

Fairweather Friends

Even with the variety of sounds across the board tonight, there was a distinct lack of headbanging in the audience until Fairweather Friends took the stage. These guys were clearly all-in and ready to rock, and the crowd responded with jamming along and even a bit of moshing. (Indie-punk is such a fun genre and scene because you never know what to expect.) The group also held a great stage presence, even when they weren’t the tightest musically. Their bassist was always eager to help keep the crowd involved through claps or cheers, and while it was a bit distracting from the music at times, I got the sense the crowd was responding with genuine enjoyment.

Like Church Ball, Fairweather Friends also suffered a bit from nerves or a cold singer, as their vocals sounded a bit pushed and shaky throughout the set. The group also struggled a bit to fill the time between songs well, and the banter between brothers, while endearing, wasn’t always the most mature way to use that space. Nonetheless, Fairweather Friends delivered a solid set, and closed the night out on a high note.

Results

This show was no joke. All four bands absolutely rocked their respective performances, and judging between them was not an easy choice. However, at the end of the night, the judges awarded Twin Systems the top spot and Internet Lover Boys second place. Both live to fight another day and emerge from a night with two other extremely worthy competitors.

The Boardwalk’s Spring 2024 Battle of the Bands continues! Tonight is the final night of preliminaries, and you can catch Leetham, The New Sequel, Eyes Buggy, and Viridian at 7 PM. You can also see Internet Lover Boys at “Ultimate Runner-Up Night” on Friday, May 17 and Twin Systems on Saturday, May 18 during finals. Be sure to follow both Internet Lover Boys and Twin Systems on Instagram!

While you wait, you might have just enough time to read the longest song title of last night’s performance. Check out “George Washington Didn’t Die Just For Me To Not Vape In The Bathroom At Work” by Fairweather Friends below!