Wednesday 25th March saw weeks of competition culminate in an enjoyable and varied evening in town at The Crescent Community Venue.
All four bands remaining in the competition were certainly talented. They all brought something slightly different and gave it their all in their thirty-minute slots. In running order, The Expression was haunting, Wysteria more rock’n’roll, and B**chcraft more moody. Then the winner, A Man Is Scared gave a convincing heavy metal performance.
Performing under a deep blue and purple light, The Expression began their performance with a great slow build-up of bass guitar, drums and electric guitar. The lead female singer did not rush into things, and, when it did come in, her voice served as an instrument first and foremost. As the set developed, her voice added texture and depth with long, reverberating notes. On the guitar front, skill was demonstrated in the control of dynamics, fading in and out at the appropriate moments.
The lights then shifted to yellow and orange for Wysteria and the following band, B**chcraft. Wysteria immediately began with heavier guitars and drums, and their front woman was visibly loving it. While also playing the electric guitar, she strutted around the stage and really sang into the audience in an engaging manner. It was clear this band was the fans’ favourite. They were very well received from the beginning, and most notably, their song ‘Even Flow’ was demanded by the audience. It must actually be said that both Wysteria and B**chcraft had some fairly catchy original tunes.
B**chcraft were probably most similar in tone and sound to Wysteria, in rock guitar style and singing variation. Both leading singers employed longer and shorter notes for points of emphasis, and to help create the impression of some shifting tempos. For example, in the original song entitled ‘Who took the bob,’ the bopping on the plosive ‘B’ sound in ‘bob’ was highly effective. It encouraged many audience members to clap and dance along if they weren’t already. The biggest difference between B**chcraft and Wysteria, however, was probably in the more obviously grungy, diva feeling of this passionately all-female group.
Another blatant shift in mood came with the all-male group, A Man Is Scared. And, as if warning of their underworldly, heavy metal sound, the stage was bathed in a crimson red light. They built up very gradually from a grungy sound, in terms of deep bass and firm electric guitar riffs (rather than mood and voice). By cycling through repeating moments on each instrument, while gently increasing in volume until reaching an almost-deafening level, this group effectively created a gripping, trance-like atmosphere. The audience responded well, with some going as far as to involve themselves in an indoor mosh pit.
Considering the final as a whole, one can see how the flawless playing and creation of a strong, emotionally charged atmosphere in A Man Is Scared came out on top. But, for me, Wysteria’s and B**hcraft’s originality and audience engagement was more enjoyable. While none of the first three bands led by women won on the night, the event can in many respects be seen as a celebration of female musical talent. Not only were women well represented on stage at the Battle of the Bands, but any of them could have as easily won. And besides, this competition is ultimately just a great way of getting the best musicians at our university seen and heard!