Two Schools, Two Stages Show Middletown's Got Talent

While a Battle of the Bands raged on stage at Thursday night, just a few streets over, one of the nation's longest running community bands from Providence scored with a Hollywood-style show before a packed house.

The was filled to a stand-room only capacity to hear the free performance of the American Band, now in its 173rd season, as conductor Dr. Gene J. Pollart led the brass concert band through an array of patriotic pieces and selections from film scores, including "Star Wars," "Avatar" and "Harry Potter," as well as the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Stars and Stripes Forever."

More highlights of the evening included performances by the Gaudet School Grade 5 Beginning Band, followed by the Grade 6, 7 and 8 Combined Band, which performed a Mickey Mouse March and Infinity Concert March, respectively.

A few streets over at Middletown High School, the audience selected Camille Bobiak's "Glee"-inspired and crowd-pleasing 10-person performance of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" as the night's winner of the Talent Show. A short time later, the Albert Walker Band emerged as the ultimate victor from the Battle of the Bands.

The two contests--the Talent Show and Battle of the Bands--drew a crowd of about 150 students, neighbors and families who came out to help support the high school's Music Boosters Club.

Eleven acts filled the talent show slate, while five bands battled it out on stage, each with 15-minute sets. The winner of each show won a $75 prize, said high school Band Director Phillip Statser.

In years past, the talent show had attracted an eclectic mix of acts, but this year's entries included only musical acts, including Camille Bobiak's "Glee" performance that is also serving as her Capstone Project, said Statser. He noted that anyone who missed the Glee performance can catch it again on April 7 at the Newport Food & Wine Expo.