The progressive rock band topped The Cosmoknights, who took second, along with fellow competitors Farewell Come April and Quilter on Saturday in another sold-out show as part of the month-long contest.
Winning Formula: Squatch delivered an impressive performance. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Come back to Local Spins for a separate gallery from the Rebel Road Battle of the Bands at The Intersection won by Some People’s Kids on Saturday, along with photos from several other weekend shows. Scroll down to browse photos from The Stray’s finals.
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Grand Rapids progressive rock band Squatch took home the top prize in the finals of The Stray’s month-long “Battle of the Bands” on Saturday night.
The four-piece band won over the sold-out crowd and the guest judge alike with a captivating mix of jazz-infused instrumental solos and striking vocals.
Squatch won $600 to top this year’s expanded, 20-band competition, with second-place winner The Cosmoknights earning $300. Isabel Elise Photography also provided a professional photo shoot for all four finalists.
While only one band could be awarded the number one spot, The Battle of the Bands was built upon the need for community and collaboration between artists, insisted Hunter VanKlompenberg, The Stray’s music and arts manager. Rather than using the competition as a way to pit artists against one another, he said The Stray — located at 4253 S. Division Ave. in Grand Rapids — has encouraged artists to use it as an opportunity to network and lift one another up.
Rock Fervor: The Cosmoknights took second. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
Each band took a moment during their set to give a shout-out to the other bands that performed throughout the night. In addition, each band had a unique way of connecting with the crowd whether through humorous commentary between songs or via the audience’s reactions to their animated performance styles.
Grand Rapids rockers The Cosmoknights impressed fans with their fast-paced, glam-rock-inspired performance. Monologues delivered in character by the charismatic lead singer allowed the set to flow seamlessly and added a theatrical element to the act.
Other performances included alt-rock powerhouses Farewell Come April, which delivered a mix of high-energy pop-punk tracks and mellow, moody songs with lyrics straight from the heart.
Quilter, which had to play its initial performance as a duo due to illness, came back in full force as an indie-rock quartet for the finals. The band’s set delivered complex guitar-driven melodies and vocal harmonies taking inspiration from alternative rock and Midwest emo.
Quilter and Farewell Come April each received $200 as finalists. Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert of Kalamazoo’s Sounds of the Zoo served as the finals judge on Saturday, with her scores combined with fan voting.
PHOTO GALLERY: The Stray 2024 Battle of the Band Finals
Photos by Chelsea Whitaker
