GUELPH – Music echoed through the halls of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School on Wednesday evening.
The Wellington Catholic District School Board’s second annual Battle of the Bands brought over 100 enthusiastic students, parents and teachers to the school on April 24.
It was an evening full of musical performances, with eight opening acts followed by the competition featuring three bands, each representing a Guelph Catholic high school, battling it out.
The host school got to keep the winning trophy this year, as the Lourdes band You Might Be Sleeping claimed first place.
The competition was judged by Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie alongside Lourdes teacher Brian Gillis.
“All the bands were totally killer,” Gillis said.
Decoration of Time
Decoration of Time from Bishop Macdonnell Catholic High School played Radiohead’s Creep, an original song called Fly Away, and the Beatles’ While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
Guthrie described the set as “tight,” and compared the band’s Beatles cover to Prince’s – “that’s how good you were.”
And the band gave both cover songs their own sound, Guthrie added.
Gillis said Decoration of Time remind him of Sloan.
It was good to see the musicians switching instruments throughout the set, he said, describing their “excellent dynamics” and “super melodic vocal deliveries.”
Tortugal Sacrifice
“You guys are going somewhere, 100 per cent.”
That’s what Guthrie said of St. James Catholic High School’s band Tortugal Sacrifice.
“You might not think the mayor is into screamo, but I totally am at the end of a long day,” he added.
Guthrie described the band’s transitions, stage presence and confidence as “phenomenal” and the vocals as “freaking awesome.”
Gillis called the band, which won last year’s Battle of the Bands competition, fabulous, sophisticated and “really, really impressive.”
Back in his day, Tortugal Sacrifice “would have fit in so healthily” at old Guelph bars the Shadow and Trasheteria, he said.
You Might Be Sleeping
Of the winning band, Lourdes’ You Might Be Sleeping, Guthrie said, “The over all tone was phenomenal and the confidence in the whole band was great. You really owned it.”
He added the band reminded him of an Islandic band called Leaves.
The use of a vocal pedal gave the set a dreamy, atmospheric feel, bringing the audience in, he said.
You Might Be Sleeping’s set left some students so moved it brought them to tears.
“Seriously, really well done,” the mayor said.
Gillis said he has been impressed watching the band progress and improve throughout its time at Our Lady of Lourdes.
He called the band sentimental and brave and said the juxtaposition between the band’s “big percussion and airy guitar was a great fusion,” he said.
Beyond talent
Event emcee and Our Lady of Lourdes teacher Anne-Marie Kane said the performances throughout the evening went beyond talent – showcasing the time the students took to perfect their sets.
Gillis called all the musicians a “super impressive group” and said he is “super excited to see all the bands play more gigs.”
You Might Be Sleeping is set to play at Silence Sounds in Guelph on April 27 as part of GAIN Fest, and the band will be releasing its first album soon.
