Bands battle it out at Harwood

Nov. 4, 2022 | By Waterbury Roundabout

Harwood’s Battle of the Bands turned the school auditorium into a mini rock festival for a few hours last Friday, Oct. 28. 

An excited crowd of about 100 attended the first of what organizers hope will be an annual event as 11 student acts from seven high schools around the region converged at Harwood Union High School. 

The bands and individual performers competed for cash prizes decided by two judges. Harwood’s Graphite Zeppelin band took the $500 first prize. The $250 second prize went to William Garretson Austin and Nicolas Farinaccio (a.k.a. Will and Nick) from BFA St. Albans. Soloist Camryn Hoffman from Cabot took home the $100 third prize.

Chris Rivers of the Harwood Music Department said its scholarship fund contributed the prize money this year with the hope of other funding being available for future Battles of the Bands.

Harwood Assembly Band covers “What Is and What Should Never Be” by Led Zeppelin. Photo by Gordon Miller

Zoe Blackman sings with HU Assembly Band. Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood Senior Jeswin Antony covers “Dreamin” by Mac deMarco. Photo by Gordon Miller

Montpelier band The Jane Does play “Subliminal” by Suicidal Tendencies. Photo by Gordon Miller

Photo by Gordon Miller

The Twinfield Jazz Band plays Marc Antony’s “Vivir mi Vida.” Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood students Elsie Pawul & Astrid Kahn cover “Chasing Pavements” by Adele. Photo by Gordon Miller

Elsie Pawul channels her inner Adele. Photo by Gordon Miller

BFA Senior William Garretson Austin performs “Burning Down the Mission” by Elton John. Photo by Gordon Miller

BFA Senior Nicolas Farinaccio drums along to “Burn Down the Mission.” Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood’s Ellie Buckingham and Zoe Blackman MC for the night. Photo by Gordon Miller

Cabot's Camryn Hoffman sings “Stay” by Sara Bareilles. Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood senior Otis Neville doing it all on a cover of “Screwdriver” by the White Stripes. Photo by Gordon Miller

The Jumpin’ Godaddies from Harwood, Rice, and Lamoille cover “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. Photo by Gordon Miller

Junior Josh McHugh drums for The Jumpin’ Godaddies. Photo by Gordon Miller

HU Junior Gabe Frankel plays guitar with The Jumpin' Goddaddies. Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood Senior band Graphite Zeppelin covers “Dazed & Confused” by Led Zeppelin. Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood senior Jonah Halter. Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood junior Emmett Lisai. Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood senior Abby Holter. Photo by Gordon Miller

Harwood senior Mia LaPointe. Photo by Gordon Miller

Two thumbs way up for Battle of the Bands winner Graphite Zeppelin. Photo by Gordon Miller

 The lineup:

1. Harwood Assembly Band - What Is and What Should Never Be by Led Zeppelin (Harwood)

2. Jammin’ Jeswin - Dreamin by Mac deMarco (Harwood)

3. Twinfield Jazz Band - Vivir mi Vida - Marc Antony (Twinfield)

4. The Jane Does - Subliminal by Suicidal Tendancies (Montpelier)

5. Elsie & Astrid - Chasing Pavements by Adele (Harwood)

6. Will & Nick - Burn Down the Mission by Elton John (BFA St. Albans)

7. Camryn Hoffman - Stay by Sara Bareilles (Cabot)

8. euJazz - Hold the Line by Toto (Twinfield)

9. Otis - Screwdriver by The Whitestripes (Harwood)

10. Jumpin’ Goddaddies - Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers (Harwood, Rice, Lamoille)

11. Graphite Zeppelin - Dazed & Confused by Led Zeppelin (Harwood) 

Harwood students who took part were: Jeswin Antony, Nate Conyers, Gace Frankel, Jonah Halter, Abby Holter, Astrid Kahn, Mia Lapointe, Emmett Lisai, Josh McHugh, Otis Neville and Elsie Pawul. Zoe Blackman performed with the HU Assembly band and was MC alongside Ellie Buckingham for the show.

Judges were Brian Boyse from the Cabot School Music Department and Tim Buckingham, music teacher at Shelburne Community School. 

Mad River Valley Television was there to livestream the event and the video is posted on the MRVTV website at  mrvtv.com/category/local-school-events/.