BRATTLEBORO — A teen indie-rock group, The Snaz, took first prize in Youth Services' Battle of the Bands on Nov. 2 during Brattleboro's Gallery Walk.
Sponsored by The Richards Group, it was a fierce competition between five area bands that were judged on crowd appeal, musical technicality, stage performance, and originality.
The Snaz consists of Sally Fletcher of Putney on bass, Mavis Eaton of Brattleboro on piano, Dharma Ramirez on guitar, and Zack James of Brattleboro on drums. In awarding them the first place prize, the judges noted The Snaz's all-original compositions, their tight arrangements, fabulous vocals, the “star” quality of their stage performance, and the enthusiastic response of the audience.
First prize is up to 10 hours of professional recording time donated by Guilford Sound, valued at $1,500.
Second place was won by Brain Saw, a band that formed at the Open Music Collective of Brattleboro last summer. Brain Saw is comprised of Robert Athanasopoulos of Keene, N.H., on bass; Sam Lazzaro of Brattleboro on drums; Nelson Congleton of Brattleboro on guitar; and Gabbi Walton of Townshend on guitar and vocals.
The judges praised Brain Saw's transitions, lead vocals, dynamic drumming, and eye contact and conversation with the audience. Second prize is two sessions of 90 minutes each of performance coaching at Headroom Stages, a Brattleboro musical venue.
Third prize went to Cherry Hill, a heavy metal band from Keene, N.H., who lived up to their reputation of “making even the seasoned metal-head cringe.” Judges commented on their tight playing, expressive and synchronized choreography, and the deliberateness of their musical approach. Third prize is a 90-minute coaching session with Jamie McDonald of Open Music Collective, which offers rock band classes and runs a music summer camp.
The judges were Michael McKinney, a music teacher who performs regularly with the Wyld Nightz classic rock band; Samirah Evans, a jazz and blues vocalist who performs with Her Handsome Devils Trio and is a founder of Sam's Sunday Set and Shed mentoring series; Aaron Chesley, music instructor and performer and owner of Headroom Stages performance space; and Jamie McDonald, upright and electric bassist who is artistic director of Open Music Collective.