Fists were thrown, tears were shed and blood was splattered on audience members as they watched the battle unfold. One guitarist used his prized fender to rain blows on the rival band while his drummer beat down on – not his drum set, but another musician. With battle in the name, we were worried this would be the reality of our 2nd ever Battle of the Bands. To our gleeful surprise, the event turned out to be a love fest between bands competing; proving that the Rhode Island music community prioritizes comradery over winning titles. The multiple-day event happened at various local hot spot locations, with the qualifying rounds taking place at Buttonwoods Brewery, Narragansett Brewery, and Fête Music Hall at the Bend; all leading towards the final round at The Met.
Night one at Buttonwoods Brewery saw Thee Phibbs, How’s About Charlie, Corinne Southern and the Constellations and Dred Buffalo. The beer was flowing as glow-in-the dark MC Greg Bass took the stage to welcome the bustling crowd and performers. Each band had 30 minutes to perform for the audience who would vote to decide who moved on. Sound engineer Brian Cabral provided crisp and clear tuneage. Dred Buffalo, who performed last, brought the heat with killer vocals by lead singer Alerisa Rose. The band, all donning bell-bottom pants and shaggy haircuts, ended up the victors. Corinne Southern and the Constellations came in second, advancing as a wildcard too. Never knowing who will be at a Motif event, bands were excited as some were booked for other shows by venue owners in the audience.
Night two at Narragansett Brewery brought out The Beth Barron String Band, Bird and Augur, The Dust Ruffles, and Princess June. RI Folk Festival creator John Fuzek MC’d the night, announcing bands and thanking our sponsors, which included Narragansett Brewery; Providence Arts, Culture, Tourism; Empire Guitars; PVD Studio. Those who voted were entered to win a $100 gift card to the brewery, courtesy of the brewery’s event manager, Ezra Juskewitch. With sound and groovy lights provided by sound engineer Erik Gharahee, the brewery transformed into the perfect concert setting. The Dust Ruffles’ GoGo-esque sound and loyal fans who came out clinched them the win for this round, with Princess June coming in close behind.
The last qualifying round took place at Fête, showcasing Yonks, The Olivia Dolphin Band, Appalas Eclipse, and Vertigo. Jamie Doyle provided quick set changes as our sound engineer for the night. One of the bands exclaimed, “the winning isn’t about the prize money, it’s about performing at The Met!” All bands rocked the audience’s socks off, but The Olivia Dolphin Band’s “witchy-pop” music won the crowd over. They came in first place, moving on to the finale. Yonks came in second, also moving on as our last wildcard.
The finale at The Met was a stacked card, including winners from previous nights: Dred Buffalo, The Dust Ruffles, The Olivia Dolphin Band, Yonks, and Corinne Southern and the Constellations. There wasn’t any tension, nastiness, or fighting: just friendliness and great music, made possible by our sound engineer for the night, Corey Demanche. MC Greg Bass returned to announce performers and squeeze in comments about the importance of venues and supporting live music. Over 200 people came out to listen to what had turned out to be an all-female-fronted lineup – ironically on International Women’s Day – and vote for their favorites. Corinne Southern and the Constellations received our secret roaming judges’ pick recognition, while Yonks took second place. In the end, provided by the prize money collected in earlier shows, a $200 gift card to Empire Guitars, a $100 Trinity Brewhouse gift card, and a single recording deal with PVD Studio all went to The Olivia Dolphin Band.
Dolphin used her time on stage to also spotlight the need to support music venues, local musicians, and each other, all while holding her comically oversized check. The night ended with hugs, shouts of “see you soon” as people headed to their after parties, and promises of collaborations in the future. The proof is in the pudding that this event wasn’t about winning, and not even about performing at The Met, it was about celebrating our local music community and the talent that it has to offer. •
