Winner of the Battle plays for Peace

Clamorous groupies can't save the competing bands now, because this year's winner won't be determined by mob mentality.

This Saturday, a select panel of Buffalo music connoisseurs will carefully evaluate the Battle of the Bands, being held at the Alumni Arena Triple Gym.

This is the first year that a panel will decide the winner in place of the audience, and with good reason - the winning band will open UB's Spring Fest, headlined this year by Our Lady Peace.

The five melodic warriors consist of local bands Depot, Floozie, Kick Williams, Kill One to Warn a Hundred, and On That Note. After the groups duke it out, the nationally acclaimed headliner Shinedown will woo the audience with their radio-friendly rock.

The judges' names will not be released until the day of the concert, but their assessment will consist of five categories: stage presence, originality, crowd reaction, musical ability and impression.

Aaron Walsh, bass player for Kill One to Warn a Hundred and medicinal chemistry major at UB, has a request.

"Bring as many people as you can possibly find," said Walsh. "I want a huge crowd to play for because the band gets pumped when the crowd gets pumped."

It's probably imperative for Kill One to Warn a Hundred to have a healthy sized crowd, because their lead singer has a tendency to wander off the stage.

"Billy has a wireless microphone," said Walsh. "He can go anywhere he wants, and he pretty much does. He's been known to dive into the crowd and continue singing. As for the rest of us, it's pretty much a lot of head-banging and thrashing around."

Some of the music featured at Battle of the Bands may be a little rough around the edges. On That Note is classified as a screamo/post hardcore band, whereas Kill One to Warn a Hundred tries to avoid being labeled under generic metal.

"Generic metal would incorporate intense guitar solos," explained Walsh. "Our band mixes more or less power rock with a lot of rhythm that has hardcore overtones and maybe a little synth rock as well."

Walsh noted that there's a huge fan base in Buffalo for hardcore music.

"Buffalo is the birthplace of hardcore, because everyone in Buffalo is pissed off," said Walsh. "Bands like Cannibal Corpse, Every Time I Die, and It Dies Today. Even the Goos were originally a punk band, which is a personality of hardcore. A lot of bands that make it out of here have a hardcore base and they just propel off of that."

Hardcore may have a following, but this year's competition includes an assortment of sound. Depot is more of a jam band that builds layers in their composition, pulling in characteristics of blues and jazz.

Floozie, a new-age retro-rock group, paints a fresh face on a familiar style. In the process of recording their third studio effort, Floozie ensures a full throttle power set at the battle. Their effervescence will certainly make for an exceptional live performance.

Kick Williams, last year's victor, will return to accumulate more fans.

"The Battle of the Bands is just a chance for us to connect with a lot more listeners at UB," said Ed Wyner, lead vocalist and bassist for the band.

In case you missed the show last year, Wyner summed up their sound.

"Our music can be described as pop-rock with emotional undertones," he said. "It's straight up, but straight from the heart. It's genuine, not generic. We put a lot of time and effort into the lyrics and make sure the music fits just right."

Kick Williams has been making rounds and paying their dues in order to build up Buffalo's morale. They've been practicing hard and have also added a new member on guitar to improve their sound.

"Amanda has really helped to fill out the sound," said Wyner. "Adding a new member has really helped us to further develop the show by allowing us the freedom to try new things such as different harmonies, more tradeoffs, intricacy and arrangements. We can play around with the dynamics a lot more on stage."

The dedication of each group is apparent, and it should prove to be interesting to see all of their styles collide on one stage. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the show begins at 5 p.m. Admission is free for students with a valid undergraduate ID, and $15 for all others. Tickets are available at www.tickets.com.