Kennesaw State Student performs onstage in Battle Of the Bands. Photo Credit: The Sentinel
On Aug. 26, Owl Radio and the Kennesaw State Musicians Union held their first round of “Battle of the Bands” on the Campus Green, drawing hundreds of students to attend and vote for their favorite band to move to the next round.
This marks the first set of competitions leading to the final round in October, with many anticipating an action-packed selection for the final showdown.
Dates for the upcoming showdowns have not yet been made publicly official but will be released accordingly.
The competition coincides with the return of Owl Radio, which began its first official semester on-air in years with a new staff and a renewed mission to expand its reach across campus.
Owl Radio’ partnership with the Kennesaw State Musicians Union has the potential to make their new mission a reality.
Bands that win the series of competitions leading to October will receive a grand prize of $500, which can be used to purchase equipment of their choosing.
The bands that performed were Hot Dog Stand of Eternal Glory, Alianca Ensemble and Stair 8, each competing on stage with different genres. Students were seen expressing support and cheering on all the bands, regardless of the outcome.
The band Safer Side was removed from the competition due to an alleged racially charged joke on stage, which led to their disqualification.
Yalaneh Haba, a DJ for Owl Radio and host of “The Creators Table,” which interviews musicians and artists, said the event was not only a major success but also drew far more students than expected.
“I was very happy with how it went. When I talked to [Owl Radio General Manager] Joey, he was like, ‘Yeah, they’re very happy.’ Like, we didn’t expect this at all!” Haba said.
Haba got involved with Owl Radio through the Musicians Union, which has served as a gateway into the program, with members participating in both organizations. She showed support for the Union’s members and felt that working with them would help further the radio’s efforts.
It turns out, that statement was more accurate than she realized.
“I didn’t realize how many people were actually paying attention to Owl Radio, especially since we just got reestablished,” Haba said. “Because of the attention that we got, the higher-ups are definitely going to have to take us more serious now.”
Looking ahead to the next competition, Haba encouraged students to come out, support local bands and connect with new people. She also emphasized that the events help build a safer campus culture and provide a healthy outlet for creative students.
“There are so many people that you will meet that you never knew were around or on campus. There are so many bands that you probably didn’t even know existed until you see them on stage, and that takes bravery to go on stage,” Haba said.
