 "Photo: Matthew Harrison/Collegian")
 "Photo: Matthew Harrison/Collegian")
Last night, after classes had let out and the campus had begun to clear, the Student Union started filling with an odd assortment of students. Black-clad emo punks, skank-dancing ska fans and hip-hop aficionados packed the ballroom as it prepared to host the UMass Battle of the Bands.
The winning student band – On Trak and Malato – will serve as the opening act for the UMass Spring concert. The concert will be headlined by All Time Low, DJ Girl Talk and hip-hip artist Lupe Fiasco.
When the
The first act started things off on a high note, with a predictably “ska” group known as the Ska-Some Society. With talented instrumentals and an up-beat attitude, they received high scores from the judge panel and gave high hopes for the rest of the evening.
Sadly, those hopes were to be dashed in short order, as the following performers were more or less along the lines of hip-hop karaoke and high school garage bands.
Presiding over the battle was MC Roy Wood Jr., a comedian who has been featured on Def Jam Comedy and Comedy Central. Between acts, Wood kept the crowd entertained, if not attentive, with solid commentary on college basketball, hunting and the notorious “super-F”.
Few of the middle acts were noteworthy. Members of the crowd slowly got out of their seats over the course of four or five acts, but there was little energy evident. And no one got more than a half-hearted cheer out of the fans.
This all changed, however, when Quarterlife CRISis took the stage. This all-UMass band upped the energy with danceable songs and an original entry which earned them straight 9-out-of-10’s from the judges.
Following Quarterlife was the all-girl rap group Solo Sexx. By far the most unusual entry in the competition, Solo Sexx was like a cross between Zenon, Girl of the 21st Century and Missy Elliot, complete with luminescent back-up dancers and plenty of glitter. Perhaps despite of their unique appearance, the girls were undeniably talented, and brought home top scores for the first round.
Finishing off the first round was On Trak and Malato, a hip-hop group that outshined similar acts proceeded. Although they were a bit hard to understand, they won over the crowd, and along with Quarterlife and Solo Sexx, moved on to the second round.
The second round of the competition proceeded with better performances than the first. Solo Sexx’s offering brought the ballroom to its feet, and finally put some enthusiasm into the melancholy crowd. On Trak followed them up with a superior act, and despite a lack of original material, Quarterlife was well received.
Despite an impressive display of rap talent, Solo Sexx was eliminated at the end of the second round. “I think personally that we did really, really good, we were really original,” said front girl M.C Velvet. “Unfortunately, we didn’t see eye-to-eye with the judges, and that really sucks. We lost to a band that did covers, so what can you say?”
The final round went much like the first, with On Trak showing its skill and versatility, and Quarterlife providing talented instrumentals, but still singing covers. Decision time came and the crowd’s opinion was heard, On Trak and Malato were declared the winners. “The competition was tough,” said A-Live of On Trak. “The girls did their thing, and the rock band did their thing.”
Andrew Sheridan can be reached at arts@dailycollegian.com.
1)NONE of you are in UPC... so you can talk all you want but until you get ur lazy ass up and do something about it, you wont be anything but a damn statistic running their mouth behind an anonymous name.
2)Stop hating on the bands. Sure... you can have an opinion, but real talk your opinion means nothing. I want you to think about how many times the greater good was considered over your boney ass thoughts.... happens almost everyday. You think a paper isnt needed but your professor does. Your face hurts now...
3)THE SPRING CONCERT ARTISTS ARE DECIDED BY THE GENERAL BODY!!!! If you would shut up and pay attention to everything we (UPC) puts up, you would notice that you can vote for the people in the fall and we get them in the spring. Sure... its the people that the school suggests that we do not get, but this semester we got 2 out of the 3 top choices the students wanted. So yeah... pay attention to the PURPLE and LIME GREEN logos on stuff and you might get something done with your life ya know.AND I AM GOING HARD NOW....
all of you guys hating on everybody or bands hating on one another (because I am almost sure some of those anonymous people are from other bands or their groupies), and all of you guys thinking that you talking about some of the artists are garbage and whatever.... come say it to UPC face. You see us everywhere. Our colors are easily spotted. As a matter a fact, come say it to mine. My name is Charles. One of the only males in UPC. Im open to whatever you have to say as long as you do not come at me wrong. Do so and get your block knocked.... hard. Be big and come say it to me instead of behind a firewall ya know??Then you might get a little more respectCharles