Sunday, May 7, 2017

Battle of the Bands


Fun wont' stop --  Warrnambool Standard 20/8/1998 - Raging - compiled by Lara O'Toole - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1998. All rights reserved.

Four bands will earn their stripes during the National Campus Band Competition country regional final at Warrnambool's Deakin University Student Union Bar on Wednesday. Warrnambool band Piffen Yonnies and the Funstoppers worked their way through the local play-off on August 12 and will feature at the final against Crave from Deakin Geelong, and an undecided Ballarat band. The winner will join successful bands from other play-offs in six regions across Victoria to vie for the state champion honor. To be eligible for the contest, a band had to have at least one band member at Tafe or university. Piffen Yonnies from South West Institute of Tafe is one of the latest bands to join Warrnambool's diverse music scene. An original outfit, the group has an unconventional line-up of drums (Matt Willis), bass (Henry Bird) and tenor sax (Matt Hewson. The Funstoppers, born from the ashes of local bands Project Artichoke, Head Chuck and Hoedown 5, consists of Ben Funstopper (drums), Dan Funstopper (guitar), and Goodtime Funstopper (bass and vocals).

Regional bands set to do battle -- Warrnambool Standard 26th August 1999 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard 1999. All rights reserved

WA R R N A M B O O L bands S.I.R. and Agenda 140 are hoping to follow in the footsteps of Piffen Yonnies and Tukan Sam by reaching the state finals of the Push Battle of the Bands.The groups came first and second respectively at last week’s Warrnambool heat, and will fight it out with other south-west bands at the regional final in October. Regional winners will perform at Pushover in Melbourne in November for the chance to win time in the recording studio. Last week’s heat was the second crack at the battle for S.I.R., which has been playing around Warrnambool for the past 18 months. Guitarist and singer Sam Grayson said the band had progressed a lot since last year’s outing, a fact obviously recognised by the judges.The three-piece, which includes bassist Joel Goodman and drummer Matt Murphy, describe their sound as "alternative punk". S.I.R. has tentative plans to make it into the recording studio by the end of this year but for the moment the focus is on rehearsing for the Push gig. The past success of bands from the region is an encouraging sign for the band but the trio is not overconfident. "We’re not really sure what we’re up against," Grayson said. Meanwhile, the members of Agenda 140 are stoked about their success in the heat, which was only the band’s third gig. Singer and bassist Robert Allen says the trio, which includes Matthew Lamb on guitar and Aaron Toohey on drums, played their first gig in July after forming about five months ago. Allen says the main aim of music for the pop punk outfit is to have a great time doing what they do. "The lyrics are basically all about girls, it’s not really deep music — it’s fun music, we like to have fun on stage." Agenda 140 hopes to capitalise on its early success, with plans to head into the studio in the next two months to start recording its debut release. Stay tuned for details of the regional final.

Bands competing for regional pride --Warrnambool Standard 10th August 2000 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard  2000 All rights reserved

WINNERS of last night’s Warrnambool campus band competition will go on to compete a regional final. As this page went to press, six bands were giving the competition their best shot at Warrnambool’s Deakin University student union bar. The Warrnambool campus band competition incorporates South West TAFE and Deakin University. TAFE was represented by local bands Fingerboard, 21st Century Ox, Kozar Blip and Atmospheric, while Deakin bands competing were Mercury and Endoscope. The campus band competition sees bands given 30 minutes to impress the judges, who mark on originality, stage performance, professionalism and musicianship. The regional final will be held at Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus on August 31 with winners from Warrnambool competing against winners from Ballarat and Bendigo TAFE colleges and universities for regional honors.

Groups take honors -- Warrnambool Standard 24th Aug 2000 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard  2000 All rights reserved

Endoscope

Warrnambool bands Endoscope and FingerBoard took out honors in the local round the National Campus Band Competition. Endoscope won the Deakin University section and FingerBoard claimed the TAFE section of the band competition. Activities officer for Deakin University Warrnambool Students’ Association, David Murton, said a variety of music was covered by the five bands competing. Deakin was represented by Endoscope and Mercury. Fingerboard, 21st Century Ox and Kozar Blip competed the TAFE section. "Endoscope entertained with bizarre white suits accompanying their interesting live improvisation. 21st Century Ox provided an energetic yet rhythmic set of originals and a few cover songs," Murton said. He said Kozar Blip pleased the crowd with their pop/rock melodies, Fingerboard had them jumping with their quirky and engaging performance solid and powerful. The winning bands will compete at a regional final at Deakin Warrnambool’s SUB onAugust 31. They’ll come up against bands from Bendigo and Geelong and will contest one of eight positions in the state final to be held at the Corner Hotel, Melbourne, on September 14.

Battle steps up a level -- Warrnambool Standard 16th Aug. 2001 - ©Copyright Warrnambool Standard  2001 All rights reserved

Local campus bands Tane and 21st Century Ox will take on regional competition in the next round of the national campus band competition. Six bands took part in the local uni and TAFE heats held at Deakin University on Wednes-day, August 8. Tane won the Deakin heat and 21st Century Ox the South West TAFE competition. The two bands will receive paid gigs at South West TAFE and Deakin University and will perform in the regional final to be held at Deakin’s SUB bar on August 22. They’ll be joined by Mr Feenjeen from Ballarat University and It from Deakin University’s Geelong campus. The bands will compete for one of eight positions in the state final to be held at the Corner Hotel, Melbourne on September 20.


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