By, Saffron Sener | News Editor & Jahfreen Alam | News Editor
March 23rd, 2016
On March 4th, seven student bands battled it out on the San Clemente High School Triton Center stage. Playing a variety of genres, the Battle of the Bands demonstrated skill and diversity that enraptured the audience.
As spectators, the audience at the cafetorium could tell from the beginning that it was going to be a close competition. From metal to jazz and everything in between, this show included the performances of numerous SCHS students, ranging in grades from freshman to senior.
A clash of talents, this event was formatted in the traditional judge-performer style. With a three judge panel made up of SCHS Chemistry teacher Mr. Nguyen, the Voice contestant Tini Grey, and professional musician, Johnny O., each band received both entertaining and critical commentary. The contest ended with two champion bands: Dried-Up Pasta in the small group category and the B-Side Rarities in the larger one.
Each and every band was able to captivate the crowd in some way. However, a few star performers clearly snatched up the hearts of audience members. The four-man ensemble, Dried-Up Pasta, which consisted of seniors Rocky Encarnacion, Cameron Anderson, Michael Scudder, and a student attending a different school, The Elusive Shane With No Last Name, proved to be fan-favorites. Beginning with a well-done and utterly humorous cover of “The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)” by the Flight of the Conchords, lead singer Rocky demonstrated striking vocals while guitarist Shane also showed his own impressive falsetto.
After their first song, Dried-Up Pasta introduced an awe-inspiring original piece composed of only instrumentals. Written by Rocky and untitled at the time, the song ultimately gave the feeling of bold saga finally coming to a close — fitting, since the band’s members are seniors. Rightful winners of the small group award, this band definitely left their mark on the SCHS stage as true musicians.
However, with a name like Dried-Up Pasta, we at Triton Times couldn’t help but ask the group what compelled them to choose such a unique title.
“Our friend, who doesn’t even go here, he was our guitar player. We signed up for the audition for Battle of the Bands by calling, and he called,” explained Rocky. “They asked, ‘What’s your band name?’ And he was like, in that moment, he was like ‘Dried-Up Pasta.’”
Apparently, the group hadn’t known their band name until the day of the event.
“I had no idea what is was,” Michael recalled. “When they called it, like on the stage, ‘Oh you won.’ I was like, ‘Who is Dried-Up Pasta?’”
On the other end of the spectrum, the ensemble that
won the large-group award, or the B-Side Rarities, was comprised of many talented and engaging underclassmen. With members including freshman Guy Ittidecharchoti, the trumpeteer, freshman Foster Fulling, the drummer, freshman Mickayla Hardigan, the rootin-tootin singer, sophomore Jackson Risdale, the bassist, sophomore Hayden Sanders, the saxophonist, and freshman Suzanne Mabie, the keyboardist, this crowd brilliantly blended musical ability and showmanship.
The B-Side Rarities differed from the other contestants, featuring music of the jazz persuasion, including even a jazz version of the song “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. When asked why they chose this genre, Foster explained, “We kinda wanted to be different because everyone was playing rock, and we wanted to be like, a shining light in the darkness.”
Being that the B-Sides also had an eccentric name, it was only proper to ask for an explanation. Jackson took the lead, disclosing, “I have this Miles Davis single, and the first side is Blue Xmas, and I don’t like that song, because it’s not good. But the second side, the B-side, Devil May Care, is a cool song, so I just did that and made the name.”
Representing the lower classmen, the B-Side Rarities established their place early on in their high school career. It should be exciting to watch where these adept youngins will go from here.
In a night full of stars and starlets, the judges were left with the difficult decision to crown the winners. One of the judges, a musical star in his own right, was SCHS’s very own Mr. Nguyen. With his first time on the panel, Triton Times asked him what he thought of the experience.
In a true Mr. Nguyen fashion, he answered quite honestly.
“It was horrific,” Mr. Nguyen paused. “I mean, there was a lot of star power there. We had this guy, Johnny O. and Tini Grey, who was on the Voice, a couple seasons ago. So, I was kind of out of their league, in terms of like, analyzing the music. But, it was a lot of fun working with them.”
An exhibition of SCHS’ prime musical talent, this competition drew out a crowd of skillful individuals. Bands performing in the coming years have great expectations.
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