Let’s be honest, it’s hard to know what to expect from a Battle of the Bands competition (like, will the entrants will be the type of bands that play solely in their garage, and perhaps stay there?). But Transit Bar knows music, and Heat 1 of their Battle of the Bands competition brought talent that was impressive to say the least. It was definitely a night that exceeded expectations.

The timing of the first bands clashed with the Multicultural Festival, and as a result, the crowds were a little thin. But by the time the third band played, the bar started filling up and the party really got going. So, without further delay, may we introduce to you…

Band 1: Moon
So young, yet so much song writing talent. This act showed the most originality in their sound, and their music was interesting and had depth. They were a three-piece, and made good use of piano throughout their songs. Watch this space – with practice, they will hone their sound into something fantastic.

Band (well, Solo Artist) 2: James Anthony
Looping is always an impressive technique, especially when it’s done well. James Anthony is still finding his sound, but he can certainly sing and play… not to mention beatbox (way cool). If he can find a hook, a little more variation between songs, and differentiate his sound from other similar artists, he will really have something. He also did very well to be the only solo artist on the night, and had a very relaxed attitude onstage.

Band 3: Signs & Symbols
They had stage presence and definitely knew how to banter with the audience. Their sound wasn’t new, but they were definitely the most engaging band of the night. They had some moments where they really used dynamics well, stripping back and then pulling out driving guitar that moved the music along. These guys do heavy rock music quite well.

Band #4: Foreign Kings
It’s hard to say if Foreign Kings had a lot of friends, or if everyone was just in the mood to party, because the crowd was insane – thrashing around, knocking into tables, someone even crowd surfed. As an act, they were tight and well-practiced. Their songs worked well and they’d thought about how to put their set together. Their lead singer tried a little too hard, but they were fun and engaging.
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So, the big question: Who won?
Foreign Kings will be going through to the Finals, held on Friday 13 March! Congratulations, guys!

There are still three more heats, get along to see them and hopefully the talent will be just as good – there are some big local names playing!