Battle of the Bands decided
Some of the top musicians in the area faced off at Freedlander Park, on May 29, to see which band would take home the unofficial title of the best amateur band in Wooster.Presented by the Wayne County Performing Arts Council (WaCPAC) in partnership with the City of Wooster Parks and Recreation Department and with sponsorship by Wooster Glass and Apple Creek Bank, the second annual Battle of the Bands featured seven bands from Wooster, Fredericksburg and Ashland rockin' out before an enthusiastic crowd of well over 300 spectators at Freedlander Park.
Taking top honors was Ashland-based band, The Regulators. Second place went to the Fredericksburg-based band, Faded Hope. Wooster-based band, The Unsung Heroes, took third place honors. Also taking part in the competition were Blue Silence, The Witness, Left Behind and Voltaire.
According to WaCPAC President Maggie Leatherman, all three winning bands will be invited to perform at Wooster's annual Independence Day celebration and fireworks display at the Kinney Soccer Complex on July 4.
As the top band in the competition, The Regulators will also receive studio time at Spencer Recording Studio, courtesy of Al Spencer. The leader of the winning band will also be invited to be a judge for the third annual Battle of the Bands in May of 2011.
The winners were selected by a panel of judges including the leader of last year's winning band, Nate Head, Shelly Head and Eric Larson, all talented musicians in their own right. Scoring was based on content, originality, musical abilities, stage presence, crowd response and the overall impression of their performance.
The driving force behind the Battle of the Bands is WaCPAC board member Jim Gladulich.
According to fellow board member Laurie Schang, Gladulich conceived of the idea as a way to showcase talented local bands to a broader audience in the hopes that some of the bands would be featured at local events rather than out-of-town bands that are normally used.
It also provides local amateur musicians the rare opportunity to do what they love to do best – share their passion for music.
"This is definitely an opportunity for local Wooster bands to have a platform to show us how talented they are and how passionate they are about their music. If we can give them that opportunity, that's a good thing for them and the community," said Leatherman.
One of the reasons Battle of the Bands has been so successful is the partnership between WaCPAC and the Parks and Recreation Department.
While Parks and Rec has always done a terrific job serving the needs of Wooster's senior citizens and younger children, Parks and Recreation Manager Chuck Malta believed the young adult age group was being underserved. When WaCPAC approached him with the concept for Battle of the Bands, he jumped at the opportunity to become involved.
The event is a good fit for WaCPAC as well, as the group branches out from its nearly 30-year-old roots in community theater by adding events that showcase the musical talents of the citizens of Wayne County.
On Sept. 25, at 7 p.m., the organization's popular Music of the Night open mic night returns to the 120 Beall Avenue building. On July 31, WaCPAC will present the youth theater production of the play Five Pound Sack. The 2010 season rounds out with a Readers Theatre production of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, October 29-31.
For more information on the Wayne County Performing Arts Council visit the organization's website at http://www.wacpac.org.