Battle of the Bands (2024)

By Kaitlin Shaw

On April 13th, the Main Union Bar was transformed into what felt like a 2000s Battle of the Bands movie set. The room was filled with nervous but excited energy as the bands huddled into groups to psych themselves up before their sets. The bar was blushed the colour purple with dimmed lights and gathering crowds. On the stage, everything was ready: guitars and basses were waiting on the ground to be played, the microphone stand was set up for the singer and drumsticks were balanced on the drums. The line-up rumbled excitement throughout the floor: Since Juniper, Cold Shoulder, Raincheck, Applaud the Jellyfish, The Slick, Downstem and Daesin.

The event started half an hour later than it was originally scheduled due one of the bands, Brine!, unfortunately having to pull out at the last minute. This boded well for the first band, Since Juniper, because it allowed more of a crowd to develop before they began. Everyone was gathered around the seats away from the stage waiting eagerly for the start. When it was time for the Battle of the Bands to start, the host and Since Juniper walked the stage, ushering a silence throughout the bar. The band were introduced and the singer, Claire Waskow, gestured everyone closer. Their set consisted of a variety of genres and decades, including the fan favourite, American Boy by Estelle. Claire even took on Kanye West’s rap, which was incredible.

There was no time to be bored as the bands came one after the other, each with their own take on indie, rock, pop and jazz. The skill level of performances was unbelievable, from breathtaking singers to head-bang worthy guitar solos, none of the bands disappointed. 

Raincheck, one of St Andrews most loved bands, performed some incredible originals. The Slick got the crowd dancing with their British rock covers. Applaud the Jellyfish also performed some originals from their new EP, including some jaw-dropping guitar solos. Downstem shook up the rock genre with their blues sounding melodies and originals. Every band brought to the stage their own unique flare.

The crowd got more and more confident as the night went on, dancing giddily to each band. It was a mass of people cheering for their friends, chatting,laughing, and dancing. Despite there being a lack of crowd interaction or participation, the crowd morale did not dip. Cheers erupted after each performance with supportive chants of encouragement. It felt like a community. 

As the night continued on and fatigue began to kick in, the energy began to dip. Many bands had already performed, and with two left to take the stage, there were whispers around that someone can only take so much music in one go. Afterall, enduring a four-hour long event filled with continuous music is not an everyday occurrence. However, as soon as Downstem took the stage, the “Are you ready to go?” questions quickly became a continuous stream of “Just one more song!”. This trend continued into the next and final band, Daesin, who were the perfect closers of the electrifying night with their undeniable charisma toward the crowd continued to reignite the audience's enthusiasm.

As a testament to each band, as Daesin took their final bows, the audience erupted into thunderous applause. Then, the winners were announced: Since Juniper. The energy in the room was unlike any event I’ve been to, everyone was applauding and cheering and it was clear that the night ended on the highest of highs. I am unbelievably excited for what’s to come next in the St Andrews music scene as more artists in our local community begin to express their exceptional talent.