Written by: Samik

Edited by: Noah

Visuals by: Lia

Even before the stage came into view, the bass echoed through the field as people began to gather, and the crowd turned its attention to the sound thumping through open space. For many students, it is a familiar sight, an event that marks a highlight of the school year: Battle of the Bands (BOB). Each year, BOB is an event that brings together student musicians, as solo performers or bands, to showcase their wonderful talent on stage. This year, more than 20 student artists participated in the BOB prelims held on January 10th. 

The audience’s overwhelming support played a significant role in multiple performances on stage. “The crowd and atmosphere boosted my performance, and I felt that it was extremely motivating for me,” said Jacob, a sophomore who plays as a guitarist for the band, Class 87. While many performers, such as Jacob, benefited from the support of those present, attendance remained a challenge this year, with ticketing issues affecting numbers.

“It looked as if the people present in the audience were enjoying, which helped motivate me when performing on stage, but I felt that the audience turnout factor was much less than I expected,” stated Grace, a grade 10 drummer who played for both Cloud Theory and Undefined Bandanas.

Roman, Grade 9, works for the executive committee for BOB. Asked why turnout rates were lower than expected, he stated that one issue that was much more evident this year than last was the inability of tickets to arrive on time. “A week before prelims, we didn’t have the tickets,” stated Roman. 

This uncertainty began to raise minor concerns among event organizers, as promotion and attendance relied heavily on ticket sales. The committee was unable to hand out physical tickets, potentially reducing ISM students’ interest in purchasing them. Another factor that heavily affected attendance rates was that the prelims were a week after the semester break, leaving only a short time to advertise and promote the event. Although pressure was slowly building and time was running out, the BOB committee adapted its strategy and triumphed.

The BOB media team worked relentlessly, posting engaging content and reminders to maintain interest and reach as many people as possible. One of their highlights was the promotional video they released this year. The memorized song, along with the editing, was a key to increasing interest. Paired with that, the committee further spent time advertising around the FAT and strategically placing their ticket booth right outside the FAT and near the drop-off area, making it ideal for parents and kids to purchase tickets. 

“We’ve had a few struggles this year with the timing and ticket issues, but having such an amazing committee, we were able to overcome the challenges, which may have potentially broken our fundraising record,” said Landon, Executive Director of the BOB committee. In response to the delay in physical tickets, Landon and his team implemented alternative solutions by recording the names of students who had already purchased tickets. Once the tickets arrived, they were distributed accordingly, ensuring that the authentic BOB experience was still preserved. 

While this year’s Battle of the Bands faced multiple challenges that affected attendance and the committee’s preparation, the committee was able to overcome them. BOB this year demonstrated the committee’s resilience and adaptability, maintaining its magic and bringing student music to life.