Friday Nov. 14, the LTHS Foundation hosted the 6th annual Battle of the Bands. For the competition, seven bands gathered to fight for the $1,000 prize. The bands in attendance included ‘Vivid,’ ‘Leafy Greens,’ ‘Love in the Dark,’ ‘Joe Bordenaro,’ ‘Paris Green,’ ‘Test Remedy,’ and ‘The Bashful Bunch.’

Each band had a flavor and style all their own, with each style creating a different experience for the audience. ‘Vivid’ opened with a mashup of “Love Me Again” by John Newman and “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles that highlighted their versatility on the stage. For every song, band members Jewel Andy, Aaron Benda, and Elijah Svoboda switched instruments, truly demonstrating their unique ability to tackle songs with unconventional instruments, such as ukulele and box drum.

The most shocking band of the evening was ‘Love in the Dark.’ Known as ‘When it Clicks’ during last year’s competition, the band rallied this year under a new name and several new players. This year, drama favorite Mitch McLaughlin and school band members Keegan Bramlet and Jimmy Sexton joined original members Rob Bugos, Otto Gomora, and Chris Kenney. With the addition of trumpet and trombone, played by Bramlet and Sexton, the band adopted a funky and soulful vibe on the stage, lighting up everyone in the crowd with their creativity and exuberance. With  a predominantly original set, the band was free to play from the heart, and although they may not have had one of the most polished performances, they surely had the most sincere and entertaining feel.

‘Leafy Greens’ lived up to their strange name when band frontman James Hunziker walked on stage dressed like Sir Lancelot. Although unconventional in demeanor and performance, the ‘Leafy Greens’ impressed the audience with their confidence and wide variety of alternative songs.

The band aptly named after lead singer and guitarist Joe Bordenaro featured a medley of songs, both original and cover. Their second to last song, an original which actually didn’t have a name, sounded like a hybrid of ‘The Arctic Monkeys’ “Mad Sounds” and ‘My Chemical Romance’s “I Don’t Love You.”

‘The Bashful Bunch,’ consisting of veterans Zac Keefe, Mike Regotti, Connor Brown, and Ben Thomas featured mostly original indie rock songs. The members of ‘The Bashful Bunch’ have been crowd favorites for the past three years, each falling somewhere in the winning line up each year. This year was undoubtedly one of the strongest performances by each member of the band.

The most hardcore music of the night could definitely be awarded to ‘Test Remedy,’ who opened with ‘The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Cherub Rock” and transitioned to “Bulls on Parade” by ‘Rage Against The Machine.” Despite an unfortunate sound problem mid-way through their set, ‘Test Remedy’ nevertheless shredded out their songs with finesse.

‘Paris Green’ also played a harder variety of songs, but they were most notable for their stage presence. Each member of the band came on stage decked in solid black, accompanied by eyeliner and a rock attitude. As a group, ‘Paris Green’ definitely had the most energy and they coordinated their motions into a seamless set.

At the end of the night, this originality paid off for ‘Love in the Dark’ when the band won first place and accepted the $1,000 prize. Second place went to ‘Vivid,’  third place was ‘The Bashful Bunch,’ with an honorable mention awarded to ‘Joe Bordenaro.’ All in all, it was a night of excellent talent, with each band showcasing their amazing hard work. Not every band could be a winner,  but on the LTHS stage, every band managed to come alive.