The Commentator

Issue date: 12/6/04 Section: News

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Whoever is responsible for designing Lamport Auditorium owes a heartfelt apology to the competitors of this year's Battle of the Bands. Yet another major event was diminished by that unforgivable auditorium, but thankfully not lost completely. Most of the musicians, despite the acoustic obstacles presented by the auditorium, managed to make the most of their evening and turn out some worthwhile performances. With hundreds in the crowd, some occasionally listening, the fresh young talent delivered a kick of optimism into the expanding community of Jewish rock.

An hour after doors were scheduled to open on Nov. 18, the evening's hosts took to the stage bringing their half-scripted, half-witty dialogue with them. If only the audience noticed. With the aisles still swarming with students and the hour running late, the Josh Haller Experience, the first and least welcomed band of the evening, was introduced to a very distracted crowd. Apparently no one told the audience the show had begun. Or perhaps they were too busy wondering why the lights were still on.

The sacrificial first band took one for the team, with the sound crew still adjusting to an audience trying to talk over the music. Fortunately, the volume switch was found just in time for Jeremy Gaisin's Midnite Remedy, later to be awarded second place. The "Remedy" was one of the many highlights of the evening, setting the bar of competition at a height worth aiming for. What stood out most in Midnight Remedy's performance, and in all the bands for that matter, was the presence of the oft forgotten drummer. The weak link in the amateur ensembles, however, did not afflict the bands, as listeners were pleased to hear a steady beat that tied the music together and rarely disappointed.

Lyrics, on the other hand, are a continuing source of disappointment. As the Jewish rock scene progresses and more and more artists slowly slip away from Avraham Fried's blaring trumpets and Shlomo Carlebach's sixty's folk, the lyrics have been consistently disregarded in the process. "If I have to listen to one more tune of Lecha Dodi...," said one audience member. But one can only ask so much of the Battle of the Bands. When most of the words are lost in the inadequate atmosphere of Lamport, many will gladly settle for anything refreshingly audible.

More on the impressive side were the rousing percussionists of Tzemach and Az B'Yachad. Although hardly out of the ordinary, particularly in the Middle-Eastern influenced Jewish music scene, pumped-up percussion solos never quite lose their flavor. But for Az B'Yachad's Ouriel Hassan, bongo was just the beginning. The finger-tapping wizard also doubled as the evening's comic relief. In what was quite easily the most hysterical introduction offered, Hassan announced that "Ozzy Ozborne and Mordechai Ben David could not be here tonight." In their stead, he offered Az B'Yachad, and the audience couldn't be happier. The band stood out as the most captivating of the competitors. Az B'yachad may have only left with a third place spot, but at least they left with a lot of new fans.

Continued...

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