On Friday 15th February the final heat of the Battle of the Bands organised by The Basement Door in Richmond took place. The atmosphere was electric as friends and families crowded into the Kings Bar at the Harlequins Stoop to watch and support the six Bands competing for the final two places in the final.
In the first heat Lost Near Blue Ape and Children of the Revolution had emerged victorious to claim the first spots in the final, before they were joined by Strange Child and the Virtigos from the second, equally competitive, heat. All the bands arriving for the third heat therefore knew that they would have to perform extremely well to secure the last remaining places in the final.
Ultimately it was The Riversiders and Queensway Band who progressed to the final, despite the high standard from the other four bands, A Call From Kate, Ric Band, The Ape House and Eclextics. The long period of time the judges had to take to consider the merits of each group were indicative of the impressive quality of all the bands present. A Call From Kate’s guitarist, Oscar Leonov, said “it was a challenging experience, and it showed us that as a band we have a way to go, but it’s a real inspiration to see other bands like the ones playing that night. We’re all really pumped to keep writing and get better as a team.”
Perhaps most importantly the crowd, some travelling from places as diverse as Hackney and Pimlico, seemed to thoroughly enjoy the music. While the competition is fun, the music will always remain the most important element.
