_{By Jeremy Thacker}

Last night was one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen at The Boardwalk, which is fitting since it was also one of the best nights musically I’ve seen at Battle of the Bands. Honestly, all four bands that participated last night deserve huge kudos, not to mention the crew at The Boardwalk themselves. Everyone involved tore the house down. We really have something special going on here and I’m so glad I have the opportunity to be a part of it.

45th Decibel

45th Decibel started the night off strong with a really solid indie rock set. Overall, the set was really tight, which was impressive given how frequently band members would switch vocals or instruments. I’m always a little wary when I see people swap their instruments mid-set, but 45th Decibel handled it spectacularly. Their last song “Hold On and Let Go” in particular had the whole crowd up on their feet.

My only criticism of the set was that it took the group a couple songs to find a comfortable groove, and unfortunately the short sets of a Battle of the Bands environment don’t give you the luxury of having a couple songs. While they had loosened up by the end of their set, the first couple songs were stiff and even timid. They mentioned that this was the biggest crowd they had played for, and I found myself wondering if nerves were a contributing factor. Either way, there’s some very clear potential here, and I’m excited to see them do a longer set in the future. There’s a really strong foundation already, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on these guys.

Ivy Avenue

Ivy Avenue took the stage next, kicking off with some haunting dissonance ambience before going into their song “I-15.” Ivy Avenue is another group I’d encourage everyone to keep an eye on. They had some really compelling vocal harmonies and bass lines that really served to elevate the music. It was clear that a large portion of the crowd had come for Ivy Avenue as they began immediately singing along with the first verse. The members of Ivy Avenue used that to their advantage, doing a lot of back and forth with the crowd and even conducting another sing along during the bridge of their third song “Halfway.” Watch out for this song when it’s released; it was so good and had some of my favorite guitar tones of the night.

I really want to give these guys bonus points for their interactions, not just with the crowd but with each other and the crew as well. Throughout the set, band members were riffing off each other, and you could tell they were having a lot of fun. They ended the set plugging their merch and shouting out the crew and venue, which was a great touch.

The Shindas

If I thought Ivy Avenue had fun, it was nothing compared to the party that is The Shindas. Their Spotify description lists them as “McDonald’s Garage Rock,” which is actually pretty fitting. They did have a song about McDonald’s, along with an absolute banger called “Mac and Cheese Daze.” I’d never seen someone crowd surf at The Boardwalk before last night, and I didn’t expect to see it happen during a song about mac & cheese. But it was amazing, and I can confidently say this isn’t something I’ll forget any time soon.

The Shindas didn’t waste any time with banter, there were no introductions to be made — they had a job to do and by golly they were going to do it. The job in question? Bring everyone back to their childhood. Listening to The Shindas play evokes the same emotion as being a little kid running around outside with your friends, playing in the mud and scraping your knees. Their vocalist reminded me a lot of Andrew Volpe from Ludo, and I genuinely can’t tell you if that’s because there are actual tonal similarities or if it’s just because that’s music from my childhood. That’s how powerful of a nostalgic mindset this put me in. This is a group that I really can only describe by saying that you have to experience one of their shows to fully comprehend the group, and I hope everyone reading this has the opportunity to do so.

Lazy Loners

Lazy Loners was our closing band of the night. This was the only band I had heard of beforehand, and I’m happy to say that they didn’t disappoint. Their music is indie with a tendency to lean more to shoegaze and even grunge, which did help set them apart a bit from the other indie groups of the night. Add in some consistently great tones and dynamic songs and you’ve got a great set.

I love the way Lazy Loners present themselves. They had more a carefree attitude paired with some awkward banter in between songs that really endeared me to them. Despite this, you could tell they care passionately about the music that they’re making. It’s a fun combination and one I think is going to take them really far. They’ve got the talent, they’ve got the dedication, and they have the approachability. The sky’s the limit for this group.

Results

After Lazy Loners closed their set came the hardest part of the night – the judging. I can’t speak for all of the judges, but my scorecard had all of the bands within a point or two of one another, resulting in the tightest night I’ve seen. It was an incredibly close call, and again I want to give my kudos to every band that participated. After some deliberations, a decision was reached, and Ivy Avenue were declared the winners of the night!

Tonight marks the finals of The Boardwalk’s Fall 2024 Battle of the Bands! We’ll see Ivy Avenue join our previous winners from the week: The Drought, Dog Years, and Lunar Spirit. Doors open at 6:30 and the music will start at 7. In the meantime, check out “I-15” by Ivy Avenue!