A lively crowd filled the confines of Slippery Pig Brewery Saturday afternoon to witness the third leg of loanDepot’s Kitsap Battle of the Bands.
Four bands took the stage Saturday in front of a panel of judges to see who will make the top three for each category at the Sept. 28 finale at Olympic College. The two categories are for band members under 18 and 18 and older.
The Zoe Moreton Band took the stage first, competing in the 18-and-older category. The alternative rock group out of Poulsbo was formed in 2010 and is led by lead vocalist and guitarist Zoe Moreton. The band recently released their new album NOW on Aug. 3.
The second band to take the stage Saturday was the self-described high-energy rock ‘n’ roll band Magancarta, also competing in the 18-and-over competition. The band originated in Kitsap County and was formed in 2017.
Guitarist Matt Macias, bassist Christopher Posten and drummer Mike Jacobs all displayed their impressive fast and heavy instrument playing while lead vocalist Andrew Sheppard showed off his rock ‘n’ roll pipes and interesting song lyrics.
Next on stage was pop-punk band Cliffside Drive out from Gig Harbor. Their high-energy singalong style and wardrobe resemble late ’90s punk band Blink 182.
The last band to showcase their talents Saturday was the lone under-18 band Sailing Camp. Their fast-playing punk style made quite an impression among those in attendance. The guitarist told the audience that the band had only been playing together for a week. Many of their songs were quick and included a few political protest themes.
The last competition before the finale is from 2-5 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the Manette Saloon in Bremerton. The four bands scheduled to perform are Phood Band (indie), Lana’s Garage (alternative), Suite Clarity Band (hard rock) and Joel Gibson Jr. and the Hired Guns (country).
The top three bands in each category over the course of the four competitions will be chosen by the panel of judges to compete in the Sept. 28 finale at Olympic College in Bremerton. The grand prizes for the two categories are a $4,000 Olympic College Foundation Scholarship for the under-18 competition and $4,000 cash from Silverdale LoanDepot for the 18-and-older competition.
