Local Musicians Engage in a Battle of the Bands

Bands throughout Westchester came to Playland Tuesday for an epic musical battle, playing and singing their hearts out to screaming fans during the sixth annual Battle of the Bands.

"We wanted to go in there and blow the place wide open," said Brian Cushin of Temporary Heroes after his band kicked off the event.

Six bands performed. Each band was comprised of members from 15 to 20-years old and was selected at an earlier audition round of 20 bands. The grand prizes included a trophy, six hours of free recording time at Acme Recording Studios in Mamaroneck and a $200 Sam Ash gift certificate.  

The event had several sponsors, including Westchester County Parks, Friends of Westchester County Parks, radio station 107.1 The Peak, Acme Recording Studios, Inc., Sam Ash Music in White Plains, In-Tune Rehearsal Studios in Ardsley, and Playland Park in Rye.

Cushin's band, Temporary Heroes, kicked off the show with pop-type, upbeat tunes and were most catchy when they broke down into chanted measures of "ooh-ah-ooh" or "na-na-na." The lyrics "someone will save me" were not only sung on stage, they were also emblazoned on the T-shirts of fans. With the drummer hopping up on to his stool to start a group clap for the audience, Temporary Heroes displayed high enthusiasm.

James Murtagh of Bronxville, a vocalist for Heroes, said the classic influences of bands from the 1960s and 1970s sets Heroes apart, as well as the "genuine lyrics" that come from James and Megan Johnson, the other vocalists, who write most of the songs for the band.

One of the event's judges, Paul Reitano, said the Heroes' performance got great scores for showmanship rather than musicianship.

"Although not technically good, they got high marks for crowd appeal," he said.  

Reitano, who has judged the contest since its start six years ago, is director of the Parks Department and also a drummer and vocalist. The other judges were Mary Kay Koch, who works in marketing; Randy Adler, a recording engineer, producer and studio owner, and Rick Slater, a recording engineer and producer. Judges rated groups on a scale of one to five for each of five categories: showmanship, originality, crowd appeal, technical ability and vocals.

The crowd appeal of the second act, however, exceeded even that of the first. The fan base of Pier 54, a pop-rock group, came out in strong numbers to show their support, not only clapping but also singing the lyrics of the group's original songs. 

Vocalist Julia Pernicone was showmanship personified, grabbing immediate attention in her skinny jeans and heels, tossing and flaunting her mane of curly hair to full advantage as she belted a done-me-wrong song. Striding the stage with confidence, she accused in song: "So many chances and you chose to act on another's advances."

Pernicone's bandmate Jack Hoffman said she gave Pier 54 a unique edge.

"We have her!" Hoffman said.

He also said a secret to the band's success was to "get the most popular girl in the grade in your band," as Julia greeted her throngs of friends with hugs backstage.

Calming the frenetic pace of the battle was Big Stick Policy, a New Rochelle band who stood out for the different energy it brought to the park. Big Stick Policy set itself apart from many bands at the battle because of its laid-back, rhythmic sound, which vocalist Kadia Anderson calls "a mix of pop and soul."

Attendee Connie Falcone of Ardsley noted that Kadia, who sung with bluesy conviction, has "a beautiful voice." 

A definite change of pace came with the heavy, "punk, hard" sound of Casting Call, a group of University of New Haven students. The musicians were highly skilled, although after a few songs the sound became repetitive.

Vocalist Matthew LaPerche raged into the microphone against "that burning sensation, that sense of elation…everything you've left behind," as his bandmates jumped and tossed their hair around.

Guitarist Roberto Novoa said Casting Call picked up their high-energy concert demeanor from bands they admire, like Four Year Strong and Blink 182. The band will tour the Northeast starting in August.

Forever and After, the next band up, was a good example of a group with room to grow. A punk-rock group, Forever and After was strong in harmonizing, but weak with individual vocals. However, the Thornwood group has only been together since May. After the show, they gave out free CDs, with band member Christian Gisondi saying, "If people have them, they'll eventually listen." 

The final band made quite an impression. SCAM took the stage with guitarist and vocalist Connor Reese in red suspenders and drummer Andre Jevnick sporting an impressive preponderance of curly hair that would make Slash of Guns n' Roses green with envy. 

Their musical ability was impressive, too, and their technical ability surpassed that of any other group.

"They're really good musicians, and you can tell they've been together for a while," said attendee Fuma Ricardo Deolivera, a guitarist for the Mount Vernon band Days of Season. 

It was no surprise when SCAM took the grand prize in the battle. 

Reese attributed the win to SCAM's ability to play tight and their position as the last band, which allowed them to remain fresh in the judge's minds. Their unique fashion sense also made them memorable.

"We used to wear jeans," said Manny Silverstein, the group's bassist. 

"But who are you going to remember?" Reese continued. "That guy in jeans or that guy in red suspenders?"

Judge Rick Slater said SCAM won because of "excellent musicianship, their ability to listen to each other, and their originality. They had high marks across the board. And I guess the hair grabs your attention, too."

Second place went to Pier 54.

"There's nothing wrong with silver," said Pier 54 band member Dan Hemelien. "By the looks of things backstage, we're the youngest group. We're all 15 or 16. So we'll be back next year."