“I am excited to see people from different student organizations come together for this event. It is campus unity at its finest,” said Raymond Partolan, master of ceremonies, as he prepared for Battle of the Bands last Thursday night. Six bands took the stage Thursday, Oct. 24, to compete for the title of last band standing. FTM won the competition splitting the $1000 cash prize among its five members.
Cailin Knox, Mercer Live co-chair, said that she was extremely excited for the first Mercer Live event of the semester. Battle of the Bands is produced by QuadWorks’ Mercer Live, which provides entertainment to the Mercer community.
FTM, whose name meaning has yet to be determined, leads campus worship every week at RUF. Their style is self-described “folksy, acoustic, delicious with a modern twist.” FTM frontman Caleb Thornley said the band was “very excited” to be sharing their covers and mash-ups with everyone at Battle of the Bands.
The Flim Flams, also competitors in the Battle of the Bands, is comprised of four band members with an alternative rock style. The Flim Flams have cover songs and originals as of this year. The Flim Flams returned to the stage this year after having competed last year. They have been playing together for over a year, and were competitors in last year’s competition.
Estimated Prophet, comprised of four members with two hailing from the Townsend School of Music, attribute their influences to the Grateful Dead and free jazz. Estimated Prophet was started when the band’s drummer wanted to start a Grateful Dead tribute band. The band members got together for a jam session that evolved into a full-fledged band. The band has been playing together for about six months. Estimated Prophet’s frontman Dustin Murdock is also involved with local record label Macon Noise Records.
Mojo Filter, whose name derives from The Beatles’s “Come Together,” reveled in the chance to eat Ingleside Village Pizza again before the show. The band originates from outside Vidalia, Ga., in Soperton, so IVP is not a delicacy they often get to enjoy. They write their own alternative-style music and have an album being released on iTunes, Spotify and Pandora in the coming weeks. Mojo Filter has also made an appearance on the 41 NBC Morning Show segment and will be touring with the Warped Tour’s Battle of the Bands.
First-year Mercer student Korby Bohannon took the stage as a solo artist with a rock-alternative style. His dad accompanied as drummer on a few songs. Bohannon hales from Rockdale, Ga., but spent some time growing up in London. He describes his music as similar to Three Doors Down. Bohannon’s granddad introduced him to music at age 13, and he has a tattoo of a guitar to commemorate his granddad’s influence. Bohannon is a marketing major in the Stetson School of Business and Economics.
Boots and Cats described themselves as “in between a DJ and a band.” Boots and Cats’ three members were the first to take the stage at Battle of the Bands to share their unique, electronic style. The name Boots and Cats pays homage to the quick sound of a beat box. Band member Dixon Cassara said the band wants to “do something that has never been done before.” Boots and Cats has a strong local presence, as they went on to play a local gig following Battle of the Bands. They also have three upcoming shows: Nov. 8 at Turnip Fest, Nov. 12 at the Hummingbird, and Nov. 30 at Roasted.
